Author: Momo Chan

My boyfriend’s uni mate got into trouble with loan sharks. I tried to stop him from getting involved, but I never imagined that she’d be pushed to the brink and take a bottle of sleeping pills to end her life. My boyfriend carried on as if nothing had happened, and we were preparing for our wedding. Until one night, when he was drunk, he caressed her photo tenderly and forced me to swallow an entire bottle of sleeping pills. He told me that it was my cold-heartedness, my selfishness, that had driven her to take her own life. If I had the chance to live again, I would never interfere in their mess. “Darling, how much money do you have left? Sophie’s family is in trouble again. You know we’ve always been close, and those people said if she doesn’t pay up today, they’re going to take her away and sell her off.” I blinked, still caught in a daze, the lump in my throat not yet gone when a large hand tugged at my sleeve. I had come back to life, back to the very day Tom Shaw was running around, borrowing money for Sophie White. Sophie was his uni mate—sweet and delicate, just like her name suggests. She was soft-spoken, with perfectly drawn features. But she had a father who gambled away everything. Word was he’d racked up an impossible debt over the years and ended up killing himself when he couldn’t repay it, leaving behind a beautiful daughter constantly hounded by loan sharks. To be fair, Tom had always been good to me. Everyone knew he loved me more than life itself. So, in my previous life, when Tom was scrounging for money for Sophie, saying she was like a sister to him and he couldn’t stand to see her in such a mess, I didn’t suspect a thing. But Sophie’s father owed over eight million pounds. That kind of money isn’t easy to come by, especially since those loan sharks were criminals. If Tom got too involved, he might lose more than just money—he could lose his life. Of course, I didn’t want my soon-to-be husband getting mixed up in that, so I gave him my savings, but on one condition: he had to stop helping Sophie and focus on our wedding. But I never expected Sophie to take sleeping pills and end her life. When I heard the news, I felt genuinely sorry for her. A young girl, barely out of her teens, with such a tragic fate. Tom only showed a brief moment of sadness. He didn’t say much to me about it. But what I could never have imagined was that he’d kill me for Sophie. Now, looking at Tom, who stood anxiously in front of me, all I could hear in my mind were his words before I died. “I told you, Sophie and I weren’t what you thought we were. Why, why couldn’t you just help her!” “Your family is well-off, aren’t they? You people with money would never understand this kind of desperation. Lucy Thompson, you’re such a cold-hearted, selfish person!” “You could stand there and watch her die, and you still expect me to marry a woman with a heart of stone like yours? People with money—none of you are any good!” I couldn’t help but laugh. My family, with its multimillion-pound income, had only one child—me. My parents never approved of Tom, who came from a modest background. They wanted me to marry someone who was our equal, but I was hopelessly in love with Tom. They cut off my finances, hoping I’d eventually give in. But Tom had grown so bitter towards me for not asking my parents to save his dear Sophie. Eight million pounds. Was I really expected to sell everything and sacrifice myself for him and his precious Sophie?

Seeing me silent, Tom cupped my face with an intensity I once loved. Now, that same touch made my skin crawl. “Darling, you know me. I just want to help her because I feel sorry for her. You know Sophie is sweet. She even said she likes you.” I brushed his hand away, my voice cold. “My parents cut me off ages ago to be with you. Where exactly am I supposed to get this money you need?” Tom didn’t seem to notice the sarcasm in my voice. “Darling, you’re an only child. Just explain the situation to your parents. They’ll help you, won’t they?” I asked him flat out, “Do you like Sophie?” There was a flicker of guilt in his eyes, quickly replaced by composure. “Of course not, darling. Everyone knows you’re the only one I love. Sophie’s just a close friend. I only want to help her because she’s in a difficult spot. Don’t overthink it.” I stood up and didn’t even look back at him. “She’s your friend, not mine. I have no obligation to fix her family’s problems.” Tom’s brow furrowed. “Lucy, you’ve always been so kind. Why are you suddenly so heartless? You’ve got money. Your parents are still alive and well. But Sophie—her mum died when she was little, and her father left her with all this mess. How can you be so indifferent?” As he spoke, he pulled out his bank card, didn’t say another word to me, and walked straight out the door towards Sophie’s house. I couldn’t believe the nerve of him, using guilt and moral blackmail to make me feel responsible for Sophie’s troubles, as if I were the villain in this story. I calmly packed my bags and sent him a text: We’re over. Then I blocked him from everything. Let’s see how long he lasts without my support this time around. Right now, Tom’s company was at a critical stage of development. In my past life, I begged my parents for help, drank so much at business dinners that I ended up with a stomach ulcer—all for him. And what did I get in return? Did he even really love me? On all those nights when we were so close, was he thinking of me, or his poor Sophie?

I returned home with my suitcase. My parents were visibly shocked to see me. My dad crossed his arms and scowled. “If you’re back because of him, don’t even bother coming in. Your mum and I are sick of it.” Seeing my parents, both healthy and still in their prime, made my eyes well up with tears. In my previous life, after Tom killed me, what kind of despair must they have felt when they saw my body? Overcome with emotion, I broke down at the door. My mum nudged my dad and frowned. “This is your fault, speaking so harshly. Look at her, she’s in pieces.” I buried myself in my mum’s arms and cried until I couldn’t anymore. The regret, the anger—everything came pouring out. “There, there, our darling girl. What happened? Did that Tom Shaw hurt you?” I nodded. “I broke up with him. I don’t love him anymore. I just want to come home.” The look on my parents’ faces was a mix of disbelief and joy. It was almost comical. As if afraid I might change my mind, my dad asked cautiously, “You mean for good, right? No getting back together?” I laughed through my tears and nodded. Then I told them everything. My parents were furious. “I told you that Tom wasn’t a good guy,” my dad said. “What kind of man runs a business and needs his fiancée to handle all the social events? You did all that for him, didn’t even come home, and he had the nerve to blame you?” I couldn’t help but feel guilty under their gaze. How on earth did I lose myself so completely over a man in my last life? “Well, you’re home now, and that’s all that matters.” Mum gently patted my back, comforting me just like when I was a child. After the whirlwind of events that day, I was exhausted and quickly fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up the next day, it was already noon. I opened my phone to find twenty missed calls from Tom, and a new post from Sophie on her Facebook. In the picture, she was sitting in Tom’s car, her eyes red from crying as he tenderly wiped away her tears. The caption read: No matter what happens, you’ll always be by my side. Even though I had prepared myself for this, seeing it still made my heart ache. Tom and I had been together for six years. People joked that if we didn’t get married, they’d stop believing in love. But feelings change, don’t they? My phone buzzed with a message from Sophie. Lucy, I’m so sorry for posting that on Facebook. You know how complicated things are with my family right now. Tom was just looking out for me last night. I heard you broke up with him, but please don’t let it be because of me. I’d feel terrible if that were the case. I didn’t reply. This kind of passive-aggressive guilt trip didn’t deserve my time. She posts something like that and then sends me this message—what does she want me to do? Am I supposed to beg Tom to stay with me, or storm over to her house and slap her? Sophie White and Tom Shaw—two of the most despicable people I’d ever known.

I once saw a conversation between Tom and Sophie. You’re so good, Tom. Lucy’s so lucky to have you. Lucy’s so fortunate. A perfect family, a boyfriend who adores her. I wish I could have what she has. And Tom? He ate it up. He insisted she was like a little sister, always delivering her lunch or coffee. When my best friend Chloe heard that I’d broken up with Tom, she insisted on dragging me out to celebrate. Watching her burst with energy, I found myself in a surprisingly good mood. “You’ve no idea how much I hated Tom,” she said, laughing. “Since you got together with him, it’s like you forgot all about me. You’re the poster child for ‘love makes you blind’!” I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, smiling. “I know, I know. I was wrong. I was blind. Satisfied?” Chloe nodded, then pulled me through all the luxury stores. It struck me how much I’d changed since being with Tom. I’d lost touch with who I used to be, a woman who lived life on her own terms. But because his business was just getting off the ground and money was tight, I hadn’t gone shopping at any of my favourite stores in years. “Wait, isn’t that Tom?” Chloe exclaimed suddenly. I followed her gaze. There he was, walking with Sophie, dragging a suitcase behind him, acting suspicious. I didn’t want to get involved, but Chloe’s curiosity got the best of her, and she dragged me over to see what they were up to. They walked into a second-hand luxury store. A sneaking suspicion began to form in my mind. “Isn’t that the bag I got you for your birthday two years ago?” Chloe pointed to a high-end, limited-edition handbag in the shop. I frowned. When I left Tom’s place, I hadn’t packed everything. I’d planned to have a moving company pick up the rest. But here he was, selling my belongings for cash to help Sophie. I stormed into the shop. Tom saw me and immediately looked guilty, then quickly switched to relief. “Lucy! What are you doing here? Why haven’t you been answering my calls? I was going to explain everything—” Smack! I slapped him across the face. Tom’s eyes filled with shock. Sophie rushed over to check on him. “Lucy! How could you hit Tom? You—” Smack! I slapped her too. “Hitting you was just an afterthought.” Chloe stood by, grinning as if she were watching the best show ever. Everyone in the shop gathered around to see what was going on.

“Lucy Thompson, you witch! Why are you hitting Sophie? What has she done to deserve this? Why are you targeting her?” Tom pulled Sophie behind him, shielding her like a mother hen protecting her chick. I pointed at the bags on the counter. “You sold my bags without asking, didn’t you?” Tom’s face flushed. “I… I was only borrowing them. It’s not like I wasn’t going to give them back.” “Borrowing my bags? Funny, I don’t recall giving you permission. We’re not together anymore. This is theft.” “Lucy, you’re so shallow. They’re just handbags. You can buy more. But a life? You can’t replace that. Are you really going to stand by and watch someone die just because of a few designer bags? Does that make you happy?” Tom grew more and more worked up, acting like I was the villain here and not him. I marveled at how shameless he could be. “Are you really trying to guilt-trip me?” “Too bad—I don’t have a conscience.” People around us started whispering, and a few even took out their phones to film the scene. “First off, we’re over. Secondly, these are my bags. Lastly, if you want to help your precious Sophie, go right ahead. But what’s it got to do with me? Do you expect me to raise your future kids too?” Tom was speechless. He knew he was in the wrong. Seeing the crowd gathering, he must have realised this wouldn’t end well for him. Reluctantly, he muttered, “This one, this one, and that one—those are the bags I bought you. I have the right to sell them.” Chloe and I exchanged looks, our jaws practically on the floor. Since when do men reclaim gifts after a breakup? “Fine. Whatever.” I didn’t want to waste any more energy on him. I turned to the shop owner and said, “The rest are mine. Can you give me an estimate on how much they’re worth and wire the money to my account?” Tom’s company was struggling for funds. There was no way he could scrape together the money to help Sophie, so here he was, resorting to this pitiful scheme. “Lucy, are you really breaking up with me? Think about it. You’re already 28. Don’t you know how old you are? If you break up with me now, who else would want you? You should be asking your parents for five hundred grand to pay off Sophie’s debts, and then we can move forward with our lives.” He was so serious, as if breaking up with him would leave me penniless and hopeless. “Tom, you’ve lost it. Lucy is way out of your league.” Chloe chimed in, “Besides, my brother is 32, single, six-foot-two, and looks like a young George Clooney. Lucy without you? She’s going to do just fine. You can run along with your scheming little Sophie now.” With that, Chloe grabbed my arm, and we strode out without a backward glance.

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My birth mom died in childbirth trying to have a baby boy, and not even two months had passed before Grandma Annie brought my stepmom Monica into the house. I thought Monica would give me a baby brother, but it turned out she couldn’t have children. Grandma Annie forced her to divorce my dad. As Monica was packing up to leave with nothing but her clothes, she suddenly asked me, “Do you want to come with me?” My mom, Lucy, was the typical traditional woman from a rural area. She was simple, hardworking, and a little naive. Since childhood, she had been bossed around by her family, and after marrying into my dad’s family, she continued to serve others. She didn’t really like me. To her, I was a constant reminder of her failure. She couldn’t give birth to a boy. After I was born, there were no special meals for her, no eggs, no sugar. Grandma Annie didn’t care, and Dad, Robert, was always away. Mom didn’t blame them, though; instead, she constantly blamed me for not being a boy. Being a girl was the biggest mistake in her eyes, the reason why she could never hold her head up. Her unhappiness became my burden to carry. One time, Dad bought a beautiful dress from the city, the nicest I had ever seen, with butterflies embroidered on it. It was clean and bright. Grandma Annie took one look at it and her face dropped, “What’s a girl need with new clothes?” I never had new clothes. I only wore hand-me-downs from aunts or cousins. A few days later, on New Year’s Day, I saw that very dress on the neighbor’s little girl. “It looks so pretty on her,” I heard Grandma Annie say while counting some money. “I even bargained for a few extra bucks. Now we can buy more meat.” Mom, Lucy, stared at the cash in Grandma’s hand and nodded in agreement. “Exactly. What’s a dead weight like her doing in such fancy clothes? She’s no princess.” In the end, I didn’t get to wear that dress or taste the extra meat that was bought. Dad looked at me, then at the meat in his bowl, sighed, but said nothing. He had no son and was the talk of the town. He could only blame me for that. At dinner, Grandma Annie, chewing on her food, pointed at Mom and said, “If you don’t give us a grandson this year, you’re out of here.” Mom, embarrassed, smiled awkwardly and agreed. After a few months, she got pregnant again. Her belly was pointed, and Mrs. Wilson, who had two sons, told us it must be a boy. Grandma Annie was overjoyed. That very day, she killed a chicken and made a pot of rich soup for Mom. She pulled up a stool, sat by Mom’s side, and stared at her belly. “Lucy, you better take care of yourself and that baby. My precious grandson needs to be born healthy.” While watching, Grandma glanced at me sweeping in the corner and asked, “Do you think your mom’s having a boy, Erin?” I nervously nodded, feeling uncomfortable with Grandma calling me by my name. “Yeah, it’s a brother. I even dreamed about playing with him yesterday.” Grandma’s face lit up, and she went to the kitchen to fetch me an egg. “After he’s born, you better not fight with him over anything, understand?” I ate the first egg of my life. It was so delicious. Is this what my brother would get to eat every day? Grandma even gave Mom money for a checkup. They took the early bus to the nearest town, rattling all the way there. After the checkup, the doctor frowned, giving me a once-over. “This girl is malnourished. You should feed her better.” Mom tugged me away. “We don’t have much money. She’s a girl. She’ll be married off anyway. It’s a waste.” Back home, Grandma Annie cut another piece of pork just for Mom. I stared at it, drooling. With my chipped bowl filled with nothing but cabbage, I tilted my head up and asked, “Is my brother coming next month? I can’t wait to play with him.” Grandma smiled, adding a few pieces of meat to my bowl. “Soon, Erin. You’ll get to play with him very soon.” The day we’d all been waiting for came, and Grandma called the best midwife from the village. She boiled a big pot of water early that morning. But then things took a turn. They say the first baby is hard to deliver, but after that, it’s supposed to be easier. Not for my mom. She had been struggling in labor for five hours, and my baby brother just wouldn’t come out. The midwife said it was a dangerous delivery and could take a while. Grandma Annie paced outside, anxiously asking for updates every few minutes. Bowl after bowl of bloody water was carried out of the room, and the midwife finally came out with a grim expression. “It’s critical. We need to decide who to save—the mother or the child.” Grandma Annie cursed under her breath, blaming my mom for not protecting her precious grandson. “It’s got to be my grandson! You have to save him!” A while later, the house fell silent. My mom had stopped screaming, and there was no newborn cry either. The midwife came out and told Grandma that the baby was stillborn. Mom hadn’t survived either. Grandma Annie collapsed in loud, uncontrollable sobs, and Dad, who had just returned, silently smoked a cigarette. A few days later, they buried my mom and my brother in a small coffin. Within half a year, Grandma Annie brought Monica into our home.

Monica was from out of town. She didn’t have any family and was working alone around here. Dad, Robert, gave her some money and quickly arranged a small wedding. Monica didn’t seem to like me much. She had a stern face like Lucy, and she wouldn’t let me touch her things. But at least she didn’t lash out at me like Lucy did when she was in a bad mood, looking for reasons to yell at me. Shortly after the wedding, Monica and Dad left to work, leaving Grandma Annie and me to take care of the empty house. The eggs from our chickens? I never saw them. I went to school on nothing but thin cabbage soup. Every morning, though, Grandma Annie would cook an egg—for Jacob, my cousin, who was the same age as me. He never ate it right away. He’d bring it to school and wave it in front of me, savoring every bite. “Your family’s eggs are the best, Erin.” Jacob was in my class and was a troublemaker. He either threatened me into doing his homework or broke his pencils and used mine. One day, I chased him home from school. He hid behind Grandma. “Grandma! Erin’s bullying me!” Grandma’s face turned cold as she patted Jacob on the head. “Erin, don’t bully your cousin. You’re the older one.” But I was only two months older than him. I wanted to explain, but the words were stuck in my throat like fish bones. Grandma didn’t care. She led Jacob to the kitchen with a smile. “Come on, sweetheart. Have another egg so you can grow up to be important.” After dinner, I approached Grandma and said, “Grandma, Jacob broke my pencil. Can I buy a new one?” Grandma frowned and scolded me. “Still holding on to that? Now you’re asking for things too? What does a girl need with all that schooling anyway?” The next day, Jacob showed off a new pencil, bragging, “I told Grandma, and she bought me this one. It’s expensive! You could buy ten cheap ones with this.” I ignored him, carefully pulling out the “pencil” I had found last night—it was actually Monica’s eyebrow pencil, but it would do. As I traced my name on the paper, I could hear Jacob’s mocking laughter. It made me wonder, why did everyone have high hopes for Jacob, who was always at the bottom of the class? And why didn’t anyone care about a girl like me who was top of the class? I lowered my head, too afraid to meet her eyes, nervously twisting the hem of my shirt. “I didn’t have a pencil… so I used it to write… I’m sorry.” The moment I finished speaking, I shut my eyes, bracing myself for the punishment I was sure would come. I expected her to yell or hit me, but instead, she sighed. She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a few pencils. “Don’t use my makeup for that anymore. Here, take these.” I held the pencils in disbelief, my mouth slightly open. I remembered how Grandma Annie always said I should respect Monica. “Thank you, Mom.” The word “Mom” felt strange coming from my mouth. Monica didn’t smile, though. She scolded me instead. “I’m not your mother. Focus on your studies. Go out there and see the world. Understand?” I thought about it for a moment, then went to my room and brought out my collection of bright red certificates. I handed them to her. The cold look on her face softened a bit as she placed the certificates at the bottom of a wooden box and fished out a few candies for me. “This is more like it. I’m not your real mom, Erin. You have to rely on yourself, okay?” I nodded, not fully understanding, but the sweet taste of the candy filled my mouth, a rare treat.

On New Year’s Day, while we were eating dinner, Grandma Annie began pressuring Monica to have a son. “You’d better not end up like Lucy, with no luck and only a worthless girl to show for it.” Monica barely looked up from her food, pretending not to hear. Grandma didn’t give up. She turned her attention to Dad. “Look at you, Robert. You can’t even hold your head up because of that girl.” She set down her bowl and started yelling at me. “What good is raising a daughter? She’s just going to belong to someone else eventually.” I stayed silent, stirring my food without looking up. “Mom, we’re eating,” Dad tried to defend me. Grandma’s face turned sour, and she started rehashing old grievances. “If you’re still kneeling outside the family shrine next year, don’t you dare come crying to me.” In our town, families without sons weren’t allowed to participate in the ancestral rites. After the New Year, Monica and Dad decided to stay for a few months to help with the busy season on the farm. Grandma Annie made it clear that she was expecting Monica to get pregnant soon. Our daily routine didn’t change much, except Monica would sneak me a few candies whenever I won an award at school. Meanwhile, Grandma would head to Monica’s room every day, pressing her about having a child. I thought this would all end once Monica got pregnant. I was even excited, hoping I’d finally get a baby brother and that Monica would become my real mom. But one afternoon, while I was walking home from school, I heard Grandma wailing from a distance. “You’re trying to end the family line!” Grandma was sitting on the ground, crying and pointing at Monica, who stood there, helpless. Dad was trying to calm Grandma down while the neighbors gathered around, whispering to each other. It turned out that Monica couldn’t have children. A local herbal doctor had visited the village, and Grandma, eager for a solution, brought him some eggs to see if he could help. After taking Monica’s pulse, the doctor shook his head and told Grandma that Monica had a cold womb and probably wouldn’t ever have kids. Grandma, furious, threw a fit, demanding that Dad divorce Monica. “It’s bad enough that you gave us a useless girl! Now you want to stay married to a woman who can’t even have kids?” Lindsay, my cousin’s wife, was watching the drama unfold. She whispered to Mrs. Wilson, “Robert has the worst luck. First, his wife dies, and now this one can’t have kids either.” After a day of arguments and pressure from the neighbors, Dad finally gave in and agreed to talk to Monica. That night, I listened from the other room, the dim candlelight casting shadows on the walls. I couldn’t see their faces, but I could hear the sadness in their voices. “We should get a divorce. It’s my fault,” Dad said, his voice shaking as he pulled out their marriage certificate. Monica stayed quiet for a moment before taking the certificate. “You promised me a home.” Dad clenched his jaw, pulling out a stack of cash from a drawer and placing it neatly on the table in front of her. “It’s my fault, but I need a son. You know how my mom is.” Monica didn’t take the money. She started packing her things instead. “We’ll go to the city tomorrow and finalize the divorce. Keep the money. Buy something for your daughter.” I stood by the door, gripping the broom tightly, my heart heavy with fear and a strange sense of sadness. “Is Monica really leaving?” I thought to myself. There would be no more candies when I did well in school, no more small gestures of kindness, and no more soft-boiled eggs waiting for me at the bottom of my soup bowl. Monica stepped outside to take down the laundry. She saw me standing there and, for the first time, smiled at me. She walked over and handed me a small piece of paper with a phone number scribbled on it. “Do you want to come with me?” she asked. I didn’t know what to say, my hands tightening around the broom handle. “I… I don’t know.” She didn’t seem upset. Instead, her smile grew warmer. “Call me if you change your mind. And make sure you keep studying.” The next morning, before the sun had risen, Monica left the house with her few belongings. She and Dad went to the city to finalize the divorce. I slipped that small piece of paper into my book, hiding it away. No one else could know about it.

A few months passed, and Grandma Annie found Dad a new wife. She had been married before and came with a daughter who was older than me. I was expected to call her “Maya.” Grandma liked her because “she’s got good childbearing hips.” The day after the wedding, Maya handed me a pile of clothes and told me to wash them in the river. The ice on the river had just melted, and the water was freezing cold. Carrying a wooden bucket nearly as big as me, I dragged it step by step to the riverbank. Sometimes, the holes I made in the ice would freeze over again, and I’d have to break them open with a hammer, plunging my numb hands back into the icy water. By the time I hauled the bucket back home, my hands were raw and shaking. Maya looked over the clothes and scoffed. “You’re old enough to know how to wash clothes. You want my mom to do it for you?” The new stepmom, Sarah, soon had a baby boy—Jimmy. Grandma, who didn’t care much for Maya before, now tolerated her bullying me. Maya became bolder, bossing me around and treating me however she pleased. Dad was thrilled to have a son and spent most of his time in the city working, leaving me to fend for myself. I was forced to move into a drafty shack outside, while Maya took over the warm, spacious side room. Sarah didn’t like me either. She’d bark orders while holding Jimmy in her arms, and when I didn’t move fast enough, she’d pinch me. Grandma Annie’s world revolved around her precious grandson now. To her, girls were worthless. “Erin, don’t provoke your mom. You know how bad her temper is.” Every night, after washing the dishes for the whole family, I would crawl into my creaky little bed, feeling the cold wind blow through the cracks in the walls. I missed Monica and the candies and soft eggs she used to give me. The year I graduated from elementary school, I got accepted into a middle school in the city. But the tuition was expensive. Maya’s grades were terrible, and she barely managed to get into the worst high school. Jealous, she would complain to Sarah. “Mom, Erin’s tuition is so expensive. We should save that money for Jimmy.” With Maya constantly whispering in their ears, Grandma and Sarah planned to send me to the worst middle school nearby, keeping the money for Jimmy. I wasn’t ready to give up. One night, I sat next to Dad and pleaded with him. “Dad, I want to go to the city for middle school. I promise I’ll make you proud.” Dad looked into my eyes but didn’t say anything. Later that night, I overheard them arguing. Sarah’s sharp voice cut through the thin walls. “It’s a hundred bucks a semester! Why not save that for Jimmy? He’s your son.” “But she’s got potential. I think she could do something with her life.” “She’s a girl, Robert! She’s going to marry off eventually. Have you forgotten that?” Dad’s voice grew quieter. “I’ll talk to her tomorrow.” The next morning, after breakfast, Dad stood in front of me. “Erin, we don’t have the money. Any school is a good school.” I don’t know how I managed to stay calm. I just said, “Okay.” As Dad walked away, Maya grinned at me, her eyes full of mockery. “What happened to our little genius? Not going to the top middle school anymore?” I ignored her, clutching the small piece of paper Monica had given me. I ran to the town office, pretending I needed to make a call to the school. My heart raced as I dialed Monica’s number. When I heard her voice on the other end, I felt my eyes fill with tears. “I’ve made up my mind. I want to go with you.” The next day, Monica appeared at the entrance of the village, looking just as I remembered. I led her straight to my dad. He was stunned. “What are you doing here?” “I’ve decided to adopt Erin.” Dad hadn’t expected this. He sounded defeated as he asked, “Why?” “She wants to go to the top middle school, and I’m willing to take her.” Grandma Annie heard the commotion and came running, holding Jimmy in her arms. Her sharp voice pierced the air, “I raised her, and she’s worth a lot in dowry money. You can’t just take her!”

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As I opened my eyes, I found myself on the Isle of Wight, alongside four girls from Wellington High School who had bullied me. They had taken over the only house on the island, waiting for me to throw myself into the sea. But only I knew that the only way to escape was to use the rules to eliminate the others. “Day one: anyone who doesn’t have a shower today will be the first to be eliminated.” “Let the game begin.” This was the note I just found in a message in a bottle. I stared at the note, lost in thought. Today, we five were deposited on this island. The only silver lining was the two-storey cottage, which, of course, was commandeered by Chloe and her gang. Even after taking over, her sidekick, Sophie, came up to me, pretending to be sweet, and said, “Sorry, there are only four rooms. You might want to look for other buildings on the island.” I couldn’t tell if she was serious or just taunting me. But this island was barren; apart from the cottage, there was nowhere else to go. Staying here would mean starving to death, freezing, or possibly being swept away by the waves. But I knew they were hoping I’d just throw myself into the sea. I was seriously considering it when my legs dipped into the icy water, and I felt something cold brush against me. It was the message in a bottle I mentioned earlier— Its appearance felt oddly timed, and I couldn’t help but glance at that cottage. At that moment, the girls who had tormented me were likely inside, laughing. Back in school, Chloe had led her group in surrounding me, wrinkling her nose and fanning the air in front of her. “Ugh, you smell so bad! Why don’t you wash?” “Such a poor smell, how can you get rid of it?” Then they dragged me into the toilet under the pretense of washing away the poor smell, dousing me with two buckets of cold water. The cold was bone-chilling. My legs were shaking, and soon, Chloe came over and slapped me across the face twice. If I went to borrow their bathroom, wouldn’t it be… I could already imagine the humiliating taunts they’d hurl at me. Standing at the edge of the island, I watched the sunset paint the horizon, finally gathering my courage to walk to the cottage door.

The door swung open to reveal Emily, who looked surprised to see me. “What? There’s no room for you here!” She laughed and was about to close the door when I stuck my hand in the frame. “Can I have a shower?” A strange expression crossed Emily’s face. I recognised that familiar smirk in her eyes. Then she turned and shouted towards the interior, presumably to Chloe and the others, “Look who wants to have a shower!” The room fell silent for a moment before erupting with laughter like thunder. I stood outside, feeling the breeze snake around my exposed skin. I should’ve seen this coming… Just as I was about to turn and leave, Chloe’s voice came from behind the door: “Let her in!” “That poor smell definitely needs a wash.” The door swung wide open, and I entered, greeted by Emily’s mocking gaze. “You can use the public bathroom at the corner upstairs,” Jessica pointed out. I nodded and hurried up the stairs. The laughter from downstairs didn’t stop; I could vaguely hear their remarks. “Make sure you clean yourself well before you set off.” A chill ran down my spine… What did the elimination entail? Would it mean “setting off”? I felt a surge of vengeful satisfaction. After a quick wash, I didn’t dare linger. I rushed downstairs, and the four of them seemed puzzled by my haste. Jessica blocked the staircase, frowning as she scrutinised me from top to bottom. “Can’t you even wash properly? You’re down so quickly.” “Should’ve said, we could’ve helped you wash,” Emily chimed in with a laugh. “Enough.” I was shocked that this stopping remark came from Chloe. “You go to the island’s edge and see if any boats pass by. Maybe you can get in touch.” So they wanted me to help. I nodded, keeping my head down as I left the cottage. As the door closed behind me, my heart raced. If the rules were real, when would the elimination take place?

I sat at the island’s edge as darkness fell. The sea looked like a vast black hole under the night sky. I shivered, wondering if I might pass out from the cold. In the distance, I heard a shout: “Lucy!” I turned to see Chloe and the others running towards me, but Jessica was nowhere to be seen. Just as I felt a pang of curiosity. Chloe and her group reached me, and she raised her hand and slapped me hard across the face. I felt a ringing in my ears. “Jessica is dead; you did this, didn’t you?!” A strange sensation surged within me at the news. I covered my face and looked up. “What happened to her?” Sophie, likely shaken by the recent events, lost her usual bravado in front of me. “She said she was going for a shower and didn’t come out for ages. When we checked on her, she was already dead.” “She was the last one to wash?” “Yes.” A fire ignited in my chest. The rules were real.

“Because Jessica said today that you wouldn’t wash, you killed her!” Chloe yelled. Her accusation reminded me that Jessica had been the first to act when they doused me with water in the toilet. Feigning deep thought, I replied, “I didn’t have the means to kill her.” “But I heard some islands can be quite cursed.” The sea breeze whipped fiercely, and I noticed the fear flashing in their eyes. I lowered my head at the right moment. “Since she’s dead, it’s fine for me to stay in her room, right?” They opened their mouths, seemingly in disbelief that I dared to occupy a room where someone had just died. Before they could respond, I turned and walked back into the cottage. I dragged Jessica’s body outside in front of them. Jessica showed no signs of having been beaten, her complexion was not discoloured; she looked as though she had simply dropped dead. “Maybe she just stayed up too late?” I said it casually, not knowing if they’d believe me. After dragging Jessica outside, I returned to the cottage, my stomach growling audibly. “Is there anything to eat?” Emily looked somewhat reluctant, but now that Jessica was dead, we had become allies of fate. She pointed to the snacks on the coffee table. “That’s all there is.” The coffee table held only half-eaten snacks; did the cottage not even have basic staples? I nibbled on some, lost in thought.

The next day, while they were still asleep, I made my way to the island’s edge. Following yesterday’s routine, I submerged my legs in the sea, and upon feeling the message in a bottle, I quickly picked it up. “Day two: food supplies are hidden in the forest.” “Day two: no eliminations.” I looked at the dense trees behind the cottage, nervous about encountering unknown creatures. But eyeing the demands on the note, I steeled myself. I didn’t run into any beasts, so I easily retrieved a pack of noodles and a box of eggs to take back to the cottage. Chloe was stunned, her eyes wide. “Where did you get that?” “From the island’s edge; someone left it there.” Jealousy flashed in their eyes as I placed the items in the fridge. As I closed the fridge door, I remarked, “If you want to eat, you’ll have to cook it yourselves.” Noodles and eggs. That’s another story. One day, I brought noodles with eggs for lunch, and they laughed at me for bringing “poor food,” then, in front of everyone, they dumped my meal into the bin. Emily stood nearby, arms crossed, and joked, “Eating bin scraps is the same as what you made. Why don’t you try it?” That day in the cafeteria, my humiliation was exposed before the entire school. I wondered if they remembered that day about the noodles and eggs. But thinking of them now having to eat what they once derided as “bin scraps” brought a sense of satisfaction.

In the following days, I took advantage of their sleeping hours to sneak outside. Unfortunately, the messages in the bottles had not contained any elimination for several days. As I watched my noodles dwindle, I’d return to the supply area, picking up another pack and lying about having found it at the island’s edge. Days passed like this. In this isolated environment, Chloe and the others’ attitude towards me softened somewhat. I sometimes wondered if the bullies I once knew were the same people standing before me now. Until one day, as usual, I ventured into the forest. But that day was different. Branches behind me rustled as if something had brushed against them. I turned cautiously, spotting the branches swaying; perhaps it was a small animal. Thinking nothing of it, I walked towards the supply hut. Inside, there were many supplies, yet I only took the eggs and noodles. As I walked out with my loot, I was suddenly enveloped by three dark figures. It was Chloe and her two friends. A wave of fear surged through me. If they had been following me the whole time, they must have seen me at the island’s edge retrieving the message in the bottle. Chloe’s face twisted with rage, as though she could devour me whole. Emily pushed me to the ground as I stumbled. Chloe crouched down and locked eyes with me. “So this is the food you’ve been getting from the island?” She raised her hand and slapped me across the face again. “You’re trying to hog all the food, aren’t you?” Another slap landed on my other cheek. “I knew it; you’re not so generous after all.” With that, Chloe’s hand found my throat, gripping it tightly. As I struggled for breath, my legs kicked out helplessly. She had never changed; she was always the one who bullied me. This predicament only temporarily tied us together; we would never be friends. Just before I could fully suffocate, Chloe let go. I knew she was still afraid of killing someone. Once I could breathe again, I held my neck and gasped for air. “I was just afraid everyone would eat all the food at once.” I forced myself to sit up, still uncomfortable. “Honestly, that’s how it is.”

Emily supported Chloe, her eyes cold as they gazed at me. “Then let me ask you, how did you find this place?” “When you locked me outside, I had to find somewhere to stay.” “You looked for a place to stay in the forest?” I shrugged, “The island’s not that big; I almost considered diving into the sea.” As soon as I said this, I realised I might have gone too far. The three of them had bullied me for a long time, and I was just making a joke, but they might have genuinely hoped for something darker. I stepped back slightly. Sophie, who hadn’t spoken until now, took a step forward, her expression devoid of emotion. Just as I thought she would side with Chloe, Sophie shook her head at her. “Everyone is on this island; let’s not complicate things.” Chloe shot me an angry glare, unwillingly turning to leave. Emily followed behind, grabbing four or five instant meals from the fridge before joining Chloe. Back at the cottage, they had heated the meals, and the aroma of rice filled the air. I clasped my stomach, realising I hadn’t eaten yet. Seeing my actions, Chloe raised an eyebrow, reverting to her old domineering self. “Lucy, you’re not eating anything today; this is your punishment.” “Survive today, and I’ll forgive you. How about that?” Emily wore a smirk, clearly having fanned the flames in Chloe’s mind. Suddenly, I felt a surge of rebellion, disregarding their objections and marched straight to the fridge, grabbing a meal. “Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” Emily placed her hand on the meal, trying to snatch it from me. In the tussle, the meal ended up on the floor, rice scattering and sticking to the ground. “Have you lost it?” Emily huffed, stamping her foot and crushing the rice. Chloe watched our scuffle with narrowed eyes. “If you want to eat, you can get down on the floor and clean it up.” She raised her hand and slammed my head down onto the floor. I shot my head up, feeling a sense of defiance for the first time. But looking at Chloe and Emily with their arms crossed, and glancing at Sophie in the distance, I realised I was outnumbered. What was it if I didn’t eat for a day? I wouldn’t starve to death. I bolted outside, unable to suppress the anger swelling within me. At that moment, it felt like a switch had flipped in my mind—I thought of a place. I reached the island’s edge, the sea calm and serene. There were still no signs of any boats. I knelt by the shore, reaching into the water, hoping to salvage something. When my fingers brushed against a familiar cold object, I felt elated. “Day six: the last person to eat will be eliminated.” Seeing the familiar elimination made my heart soar with joy.

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The new pack of rubbers had been stolen again and again. Furious, I poked holes in every packet, determined to make that sneaky thief pay. Little did I know that just over a month later, my long-widowed mother-in-law started suffering from constant morning sickness. I began to suspect my husband, Andrew, was cheating on me. One morning, as I was tidying the bedside drawer, I noticed that several of the rubbers I bought during the last sale were missing. But Andrew and I hadn’t been intimate for weeks. I suddenly remembered that the bed linens had been changed more than once recently. I was shaking with anger, gripping the box in my hand. How dare he bring someone into our home! “Emily, why didn’t you separate the laundry? My white shirt’s been ruined—look at it!” Andrew’s voice came from the hallway. Still fuming, I yelled, “From now on, do your own laundry! I’m done.” “What’s wrong with you?” he muttered irritably. “Your temper’s getting worse every day.” Then Margaret, my mother-in-law, heard us and began wailing from the living room, “Oh, what have I done to deserve this? A daughter-in-law like you!” Storming out of the bedroom, I pointed at Andrew, standing uselessly on the balcony, and shouted, “You sit at home all day doing nothing, and you’ve got the nerve to complain?” “Who doesn’t have the wife doing housework? A man’s job is to earn money!” Margaret slammed the door behind her as she entered, glaring at me. “You can’t even manage the washing properly. Useless! I don’t know what Andrew saw in a woman like you.” Her sharp words only made my blood boil more. When Andrew and I got married, my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, felt sorry for Margaret, raising him all on her own, so they didn’t ask for anything. In fact, they even provided a house as a wedding gift. We had agreed I wouldn’t live with her, but Andrew insisted, saying she was too old to live alone in Derbyshire Village, and brought her to live with us shortly after the wedding. I had endured her endless criticism and meddling for Andrew’s sake, but I was done with it now. “My salary’s three times his, and the house you’re living in? It’s mine. What right do you have to insult me?” Andrew rushed over to comfort his mum and then glared at me. “Emily, apologise to Mum.” I looked down at the two of them on the floor, feeling more disgusted than I ever had. “Apologise? For what? This house, the car—what’s here that you’ve actually contributed to?” Andrew gritted his teeth and then, with a sickly sweet tone, approached me. “Honey, I know you do more, but Mum’s old now. Can’t you just be a bit more patient?” Margaret sat on the floor, smug, clearly expecting me to apologise. I scoffed, muttered a firm “No chance,” and slammed the door behind me as I left. That same day, I ordered a small camera online. If Andrew was cheating, I was going to catch him in the act and make sure he left with nothing. That day, I had just arrived at the office when my phone alerted me that someone was in the camera’s range. I scoffed, opened the monitoring app, and prepared to catch Andrew in the act. But to my shock, the screen showed my mother-in-law, Margaret, tangled up in bed with Colin Harris, Sophie’s father-in-law!

Not long after I arrived at work the next day, my phone alerted me that someone was in the room caught on camera. I smirked, ready to catch him red-handed. I opened the live feed on my phone, expecting to see Andrew with someone else. But what I saw instead shocked me beyond belief: Margaret—my mother-in-law—and Colin Harris, Sophie’s father-in-law, were in my bed! Shaking, I rushed to the bathroom, splashed cold water on my face, and tried to calm down. The absurdity of the situation was too much. The sounds coming from my phone made me feel sick. I quickly shut it off and leaned over the toilet, heaving. The thought of what had happened on my bed made my skin crawl. Furious, I couldn’t believe Margaret’s brazenness. It was bad enough she was acting like this, but why in my bedroom? I picked up my phone, ready to send the footage to Andrew and Sophie. Let them deal with their parents. But suddenly, I felt dizzy. Holding onto the door for support, I tried to get help but blacked out before I could make it out. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. “Doctor, what’s wrong with me?” “You had a miscarriage,” Dr. Richard Evans said curtly, looking at me with a strange mix of annoyance and pity. I sat up in shock. “I was pregnant? How is that possible? I’ve always been healthy—why would I miscarry?” “It was food poisoning. The tests show that someone had been putting large amounts of bacteria-laden pigeon droppings in your food.” I thought he was joking and denied it instantly. “That’s ridiculous. Who would put something that disgusting in my food?” Dr. Evans gave me a knowing look and continued. “In all my years at St. Bartholomew’s, I’ve come across a few strange remedies. There’s an old wives’ tale that says if you mix pigeon droppings into a tonic, it’ll guarantee a boy.” My heart dropped. Margaret had been giving me that herbal tonic every night. She’d said it was to boost my health. Now I realised it had nothing to do with that—she just wanted a grandson to carry on the Thompson family name. But her plan had backfired. Instead of ensuring a grandson, she had caused the death of her own grandchild. I laughed bitterly as tears streamed down my face. I placed a hand on my stomach, knowing that I had lost something precious—something I didn’t even know I had. Still dazed, I called Andrew to come to the hospital. The selfish man took all morning to show up, pretending to care, though his impatience was written all over his face. “What’s wrong, love?” “I had a miscarriage.” Andrew paused, barely reacting. “What happened?” I glared at him, fury burning inside me. “Your mother did this! She poisoned me with that tonic she insisted I drink every night. She killed our baby.” Andrew chuckled as if it was no big deal. “That tonic? All the women in my village drink it. No one else had a problem. The doctor must’ve made a mistake.” I threw the test results in his face, my hands clenched into fists, barely able to resist hitting him. “Tell your mum to pack her things and get out. I don’t want to see her in our house again.” Andrew sat at the edge of my bed, still smiling as though nothing had happened. “Mum meant well. She’s just desperate for a grandson. Don’t be so harsh. She’s lived here for so long—she wouldn’t know how to adjust if we sent her back to Derbyshire Village.” It was like he didn’t care at all that we had lost our child. Disgust rose within me. I had never been more disappointed in him. That was when I made up my mind. I was going to leave him, but not before making them both pay.

While I was still recovering in the hospital, Margaret showed up with a big bag of fruit. It was strange. She was notoriously stingy, so for her to buy all this… I knew something was up. “What are you doing here?” I asked coldly. I wasn’t ready to show my cards yet, but I couldn’t hide my disdain. “Oh, it’s nothing much. There’s just something I wanted to talk to you about.” I scoffed. Typical. She only came when she needed something. But the nerve of her! After everything she had done, she didn’t even have the decency to acknowledge her part in my miscarriage. Instead, she was here asking for help. “What is it?” I asked, barely able to mask my irritation. “When I spoke to the doctor earlier, he mentioned that your miscarriage might affect your chances of having another child in the future.” “So?” “Well, the Thompson family has always depended on Andrew to carry on the line. We can’t let it end with him, can we?” I froze, gripping the sheets tightly to keep from slapping her. “What are you suggesting? That Andrew divorces me?” She laughed nervously, sensing the danger in my tone. “No, no. You’ll always be our daughter-in-law. I was just thinking, perhaps Andrew could, you know, have a child with one of the village girls. Just to keep the family line going. Don’t worry, the child would call you ‘Mum.’” I stared at her, stunned. The audacity. She expected me to raise someone else’s child—her grandchild—from Andrew’s affair? “So you came here to tell me Andrew’s about to cheat on me, and I’m supposed to just accept it?” “It’s not cheating! It’s just having a child. You can’t let the Thompson family end, can you? Just be sensible and accept it.” I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. It wasn’t that I couldn’t stand up for myself—it was the overwhelming sense of helplessness that comes from dealing with someone so shameless. Andrew would never send his mother back to the village, and I couldn’t live with her anymore. We were at an impasse. “I don’t care,” I said finally. “Go talk to Andrew. If he’s fine with it, then I am too.” Margaret beamed, clearly thinking she had won. As soon as she left, I let out a bitter laugh. I had made my decision. I wasn’t going to tell them about the footage I had from the camera. If they wouldn’t let me have peace, then none of them would.

Back at home, I secretly poked holes in all the rubbers we had left. If Margaret wanted a grandchild so badly, she could have one with Colin Harris. Let’s see how Andrew and Sophie liked being “family.” I went back to work the next day and checked the video feed during my break. They couldn’t resist, and I saved every clip of their sordid little affair. Margaret was getting older. I figured it would take a while for my plan to work. But sometimes fate lends a hand. She had been feeling queasy for days and had no appetite. That evening, I made sure to cook something extra rich and greasy. The moment I set the food on the table, she bolted for the bathroom, gagging. Andrew, ever the doting son, followed her to check on her. “Mum, are you alright?” Margaret tried to dismiss it, but I could see the doubt flash across her face. She’d been through this twice before, after all. I couldn’t help but smirk. Still, I played innocent, bringing out a bowl of tonic. “Mum, you’ve barely eaten anything these last few days. Have some soup—it’s good for the body.” Margaret’s face turned pale at the sight of the tonic. She gagged again and ran back to the bathroom. Andrew stood helplessly at the door, rubbing her back. I leaned against the counter, my voice dripping with false concern. “You know, Mum’s symptoms are a lot like pregnancy. Andrew, do you think you might be getting a little brother? Maybe the Thompson family won’t be three generations of single heirs after all.” Margaret’s face went white, and she looked genuinely terrified. Andrew shot me an annoyed glance. “Stop talking nonsense. Dad’s been dead for years. Mum’s been faithful all this time. There’s no way she could be pregnant.” But Margaret’s panic was palpable. She lashed out, screaming, “Shut your mouth if you’ve got nothing good to say!” Watching her unravel was the most satisfying thing I had experienced in months. “Oh, don’t be mad. I’m just worried about your health. Here, have some tonic. You always said it’s good for the body.” I held the bowl out toward her, and she batted it away, spilling the hot soup on my hand. “Margaret! What are you doing?” Andrew gasped, rushing to my side. “Emily was only trying to help.” I shook my head. “It’s fine. We should probably take Mum to St. Bartholomew’s for a check-up though, just to be sure. Don’t worry, Andrew. Even if we have to sell the house, we’ll make sure she gets the best care.” Andrew was overwhelmed with gratitude, but Margaret looked guilt-ridden, trying to come up with excuses not to go. No matter what Andrew said, she refused. I pressed on, knowing I was pushing her into a corner. I was dying to see Andrew’s reaction when the truth came out. “Mum, it’s just a check-up. What are you afraid of? My uncle died of a perforated ulcer last year, and it started just like this.” With no other choice, Margaret finally agreed to go. The test results came back. Margaret was pregnant. “Mum, what’s going on?” Andrew looked at the test results, trembling with rage, his eyes turning red as he glared at his mother. “Who’s the father?” Margaret looked down, guilt etched on her face. “The test results must be wrong. I’m too old to be pregnant!”

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I had once sponsored a poor student who was about to drop out, ensuring she completed university. But when I rejected her advances, she started spreading rumours that I was trying to keep her as my mistress. Suddenly, I found myself in the eye of the storm, bombarded by accusations and insults. The stress and long-term depression left me mentally shattered, and I ended it all by leaping from a window at Kingsbury College. Now, given a second chance, I will never sponsor that ungrateful wretch again. When I opened my eyes again, a tearful girl stood before me. I blinked, focusing—wasn’t that Victoria Bennett? What on earth? Had I not died? A quick glance at my phone confirmed the date. It was true—I had been reborn. This time, I wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes. “Mr. Clarke?” Hearing her tentative voice, I snapped back from my thoughts. “Yes, I’m listening. Go on.” “I won’t be coming to school from tomorrow. Mum says we can’t afford it anymore. Thank you so much for all your help these past few weeks.” Her eyes welled up with tears, a sight that had once moved me deeply. In my previous life, I had been so touched by her situation that, out of a sense of duty as a teacher, I sponsored her tuition fees and living expenses. I went above and beyond, fulfilling almost every request, all in the hope that she could one day live a better life through her own hard work. But she repaid my kindness with betrayal. After I rejected her subtle advances, she maliciously spread rumours that I was trying to “keep” her. I was powerless to defend myself. Not only that, but she even wrote a public post implying that if I didn’t have ulterior motives, why would I have been so generous? Why sponsor her out of all the struggling students? The insinuation was clear—I must have had something shameful in mind. The rumours spread faster than I could have imagined. Before long, people were whispering as soon as I stepped outside, and even online trolls managed to find my family. I was powerless to stop it. No one cared about the truth. They saw what they wanted to see. Depression consumed me until, one day, I was so out of it that I jumped out of a window at Kingsbury College, ending a life that should have been full of promise. The thought of it all sent a chill through my body. There was no way I would let the same thing happen again. “Well, if that’s what you and your parents have decided, then let’s go with it.” She looked shocked, clearly taken aback by my response. Still frozen in place, she stared at me, so I added, “Anything else? If not, you should leave.” Watching her walk away, I let out a long sigh of relief. Finally, that problem was sorted.

The next morning, however, Victoria was back in my 8 AM class. I frowned—wasn’t she supposed to be dropping out? Why was she still here? Though I was puzzled, I couldn’t ask directly. “Mr. Clarke, I’ve decided not to drop out. Henry Parker has offered to help me.” Henry? I remembered him. He’d had a crush on Victoria for ages. He had been a key figure stirring up trouble in my previous life. Victoria made a calculated move, throwing herself into my arms. Before I could push her away, Henry quickly snapped a photo. With both the evidence and witnesses in place, I’d never be able to explain myself. “Alright.” I replied curtly and stood to leave. But Victoria blocked my way. I frowned, annoyed. “What is it?” “Henry can only help with my tuition. But as for my living expenses…” She trailed off. “You’re an adult now. There are plenty of ways to earn money for living expenses. The college has lots of work-study positions. If you need help, I can assist you in applying.” She bit her lip, giving me that same pitiful look. “But those jobs are too hard…” “I’ve given you a solution. If you’re unwilling to accept it, then there’s nothing more I can do.” She might as well have stuck a sign on her forehead that read “Sponsor Me.” “If there’s nothing else, let’s keep some distance between us. It’s important for students and teachers to maintain boundaries.” Seeing that I remained cold and didn’t follow her lead, she reluctantly left. But as I watched her leave, I had a feeling this wouldn’t be the end of it.

James Rourke, the head boy, messaged me later that day. Victoria hadn’t shown up for the morning class and wasn’t in her student accommodation either. No one could reach her. My mind buzzed—what was she up to now? Losing contact with a student is enough to make any tutor panic, especially one with such malicious intentions. As I racked my brain, a place suddenly came to mind. I quickly found Victoria’s family address from the student records and drove straight there. But when I arrived, the house was empty. While I pondered where she might have gone, Simon Collins rang me. “Mr. Clarke, you’d better come back. Mrs. Bennett is causing a scene in the headmaster’s office.” Without a moment’s hesitation, I rushed back. As I was about to leave, an older lady stopped me. “You’re here to buy the Bennetts’ house, aren’t you? They told me to keep an eye on things if anyone came by. They’ll be back soon.” I stared at her, confused. “I think you’ve got the wrong person. I’m not here to buy a house.” Sensing my confusion must have sparked her gossip instinct, she continued eagerly. “Lucky for the Bennetts, though! That old wreck of a house, and someone actually wants to buy it to turn it into some sort of live-streaming base? I don’t get it, but they’re getting a tidy sum. They’ll be moving into a big house in the city soon.” So, Victoria’s family wasn’t as hard-up as they made out? After a quick goodbye, I headed back to Kingsbury College. Just as I arrived, I saw Mrs. Bennett leaving the headmaster’s office, a smug smile on her face. Instead of confronting her, I ducked into a nearby stairwell to eavesdrop. “You see, if I didn’t kick up a fuss, the college wouldn’t take it seriously. Didn’t you say your tutor was kind-hearted and would help you out because you couldn’t afford to stay?” She scoffed. “He’s not as great as you thought, is he? In the end, I had to step in. Once we sell the old house, we’ll be moving into the city. Be careful not to let anything slip. You’ve got four years at university without me having to pay a penny for your tuition or living expenses. We’ll save as much as we can.” “Alright.” So, they’d been planning this from the start.

As soon as Mrs. Bennett left, the headmaster summoned me to his office. “Mr. Clarke, what’s going on? How did this escalate to a student’s parent causing a scene at the college? We’re about to select teachers for merit awards, and if this isn’t sorted, you can forget about it.” The headmaster had always thought highly of me, and I knew his advice came from a place of concern. “I understand, headmaster. I’ll handle it.” He sighed, “It’s clearly a deliberate attempt to stir things up. The college has already promised to help them as much as possible, but it’s up to you to navigate this.” After nodding, I left the office and immediately called Victoria. “Meet me in Lecture Hall 1201.” I’d chosen that room because it was one of the few with functioning CCTV. When Victoria arrived, I could barely contain my frustration, though I kept a calm face. “You know, you can apply for student loans. If you’re unsure how, I can help you find someone to guide you.” Victoria hesitated. “But loans have to be repaid…” My tone sharpened. “And? Are you expecting a free ride?” “No, sir, but the loan is over £30,000. That’s a lot of pressure. What if I can’t pay it back?” As she spoke, the tears came again. It seemed they had become her signature move. Turning away to compose myself, I spotted Henry lurking in the corner, trying to stay out of sight. Ah, so we’re going to re-enact the past, are we? Fine. Let’s see them reap what they’ve sown. “Mr. Clarke… would you consider sponsoring me? I promise I’ll repay you once I start earning money. I’ll never forget how kind you’ve been to me.” I thought to myself, Who wants you to remember this for the rest of your life? Seeing that I remained silent, she seemed to believe she had a chance, so she pressed on. “If I drop out, I’ll have to return home and get married. I’m still so young—I don’t want to waste my life like that, Mr. Clarke.” I took a deep breath and replied as calmly as I could, “There are plenty of ways you can earn money to stay in school, but you’d rather sit back and wait for someone to hand you everything. I’ve already promised to help you with the student loan and work-study options.” Victoria’s expression shifted, growing more frustrated as she realised I wasn’t giving in. Suddenly, she pulled out a small knife and, before I could react, slashed at her own arm. It happened so fast that I barely had time to stop her. I rushed forward, grabbing her wrist to prevent further harm. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Henry raising his phone, snapping photos. I didn’t call him out. Instead, I hurriedly took Victoria to the college infirmary. Luckily, it was just a surface wound, nothing serious. Once we were alone, she leaned in and whispered, “I’ve made it obvious what I need, haven’t I? Are you really not going to sponsor me?” “No,” I said firmly. My voice left no room for argument. “Fine,” she muttered, a strange smile playing on her lips.

By the third day, Kingsbury College’s website was ablaze. An anonymous post had shot to the top of the student forum, trending faster than anything I’d seen before. The headline read: “Mr. Clarke from Business English 2 tried to use financial sponsorship to manipulate a female student into an inappropriate relationship. When the student resisted, he physically restrained her, leading her to self-harm in desperation. The college must investigate this immediately and ensure a fair resolution.” Attached to the post was a carefully angled photo. I had to hand it to Henry—he’d captured the perfect moment. The photo made it look as though I had forcibly grabbed Victoria, with no sign of the knife or the wound. If he had this much talent, he was truly wasted at Kingsbury. There was no need to check; I already knew it was Henry behind this. When I left my accommodation later that day, a crowd of students had already gathered. “Sir! Is it true? The post says you assaulted her! You always seemed so proper—how could you do something like this?” “You’re supposed to set an example for us! How could you act like this?” Some of my students, however, rushed to defend me. “Mr. Clarke isn’t like that! You don’t even know the full story—why are you jumping to conclusions?” “Exactly! You can’t just assume someone’s guilty before you’ve even heard their side!” The argument escalated, with both sides refusing to back down. At one point, it looked like a full-blown fight was about to break out. Security arrived just in time to break things up, but the damage was already done. The headmaster wasted no time in calling me to his office. As soon as I walked in, he was on the attack. “Mr. Clarke! I thought I told you to handle this discreetly. Now look what’s happened! It’s no longer about the merit awards—we’re talking about the reputation of Kingsbury College. Do you have any idea the kind of damage this could cause?” “I understand, sir,” I said, “But I assure you, I’m being framed.” “Whether I believe you or not doesn’t matter! Do you think the public will? What you need to do now is gather hard evidence to clear your name.” With a promise to the headmaster, I left his office determined to turn the tables. Henry had used the college’s Wi-Fi to post that message on the forum, and it wasn’t long before I had a technician trace the post back to his phone. With the evidence in hand, I confronted him in front of the class. “You took the photo, didn’t you? If you captured the moment so well, you must have seen the entire incident. So, why don’t you tell everyone what really happened?” Henry stiffened, clearly caught off guard by the sudden confrontation. His bravado faltered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. “Of course I saw everything. That’s why I posted the truth—I couldn’t stand seeing you act like a hypocrite.” “You’d better be sure of your words,” I warned, “because there are consequences for spreading lies.” Seeing I wasn’t backing down, Henry hesitated, but before he could respond, Victoria stepped in. “Mr. Clarke, there’s no need to push Henry. He was just standing up for what’s right. I can forgive him if you stop intimidating him.”

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After the hard-won UK Government Scholarship was given to the Headmaster’s daughter, my tutor called me in for a chat. “Let Lily Brown take charge of your project from now on; you can assist her.” I was both angry and amused. Not only had they taken my scholarship, but now they wanted to steal my project outcomes too? I flatly refused. The tutor scoffed, “Once you enter the real world, you’ll see that these kinds of unspoken rules are everywhere!” The project outcomes had caught the attention of a national expert group, leading to the appointment of a professor to our university. The school sent Lily Brown to meet him, and the professor frowned. “Isn’t your daughter the head of this project?” Recently, the recipients of the highly competitive UK Government Scholarship were announced. Everyone in the department believed that I was the obvious choice for this year’s scholarship, and I thought so too. This wasn’t blind confidence; I genuinely stood out among the competitors. My academic performance spoke for itself. I had won first place in last year’s Student Start-up Competition and English Speaking Competition, had received national-level honours five times, and had even published a paper in a scientific journal last year. Thus, it was almost an unspoken agreement among everyone that I would be the scholarship winner. My flatmates had even booked a restaurant early on to celebrate my success. Everything was set; all I needed was the final confirmation. Little did I know, instead of a celebratory breeze, a bucket of cold water was about to be thrown over me. “I can’t believe some people can be so shameless! Popping champagne before the results, thinking they’re something special.” “Exactly! She’s like a clown, truly embarrassing for our department.” “Not to mention, our Lily was so understated and collected while winning the scholarship.” “Shh, keep it down; you don’t want her to hear you.” “Am I supposed to be scared she’ll hear me? She’s already made a fool of herself.” I tuned them out, expressionless as I walked into the lecture theatre. The previously noisy room fell silent in an instant. Everyone stopped what they were doing, all eyes fixed on me. I casually lifted my eyelids and scanned the crowd, finally resting my gaze on Chloe Smith, the one who claimed she wasn’t afraid of me. The moment our eyes met, her bravado faltered, and she quickly looked down, unable to maintain eye contact. Jessica noticed and smirked; she was known for her fiery temper. “Speak up! Cat got your tongue?” The students glanced at each other, like frightened birds scattering, leaving only Chloe with her head hung low, like an ostrich. “I’ve never seen someone so brazen, stealing from others and acting righteous about it.” “Exactly! I’ve never encountered someone so shameless. Who doesn’t know Lily only got the scholarship because of her father?” “Right? I’ve never seen such a devoted lapdog either.” My three flatmates chimed in, and Chloe’s face turned a mix of blue and white. A few people nearby chuckled. Chloe lifted her head, indignation etched on her face. “You…” “What’s that?” I shot her a sideways glance. She faltered, words caught in her throat, unable to decide whether to speak or stay silent, her frustration causing her to stomp her feet. After lunch, my tutor summoned me to his office. “Sophie, I know you’re a clever girl. For the past two years, you’ve consistently ranked at the top, winning numerous awards and bringing great honour to the school.” He started by flattering me, placing a metaphorical crown upon my head before shifting the topic. “But the scholarship isn’t just based on grades; there’s also your school conduct. Now, as for Lily Brown…” “Oh, you mean Lily Brown, the Headmaster’s daughter?” I interjected.

The tutor fell silent, staring at me, words caught in his throat. Finally, he let out a sigh. The office grew quiet, the hum of the air conditioning the only sound. If the award had gone to anyone else, I wouldn’t have questioned it. But there was nothing remarkable about Lily among the candidates. Coupled with her Headmaster father and the tutor’s reaction, it was clear there was foul play. Sure enough, what the tutor said next confirmed my suspicions. “In any case, the scholarship decision is final. I’m only here to inform you. Whether you accept it or not won’t affect the outcome. You’re a bright student; you should understand what I mean. Besides, you’re so talented that you can always try again next year. Think of this as a chance to be magnanimous.” “Let her have it?” I scoffed, “Why should I give up what’s mine?” “Sophie Carter!” The tutor slammed his hand on the desk, glaring at me. “I’ve been civil with you; don’t take it too far. I’m just trying to help you, so don’t bite the hand that feeds you!” His ugly side was laid bare before me. “Do you not understand? The scholarship has nothing to do with you anymore. What you think doesn’t matter. You can sugarcoat it by saying you’re letting her have it, but let’s be honest—this school is practically hers. She can have whatever she wants. If you want to blame someone, blame your lack of a good father!” The tutor’s tone grew harsh, veins bulging on his forehead. Seeing I remained unfazed, he took a deep breath and threw his water cup against the wall, the sound echoing in the silence. I frowned, suppressing my anger, my upbringing preventing me from acting out against a teacher. I inclined my head slightly. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going.” With that, I stood up and headed for the door. Just as I reached it, I paused. “One piece of advice: be careful not to sink your own ship.” In response, there was another crash of objects being thrown. On my way back to class, I ran into a few flatmates. They noticed my foul mood and wisely chose not to ask. We chatted casually, and from a distance, I spotted those who had been gossiping earlier, now gathered around Lily, laughing. “Lily, you’ve truly brought glory to our halls!” “Of course! It’s a national award, not just anyone can win it—only our Lily is impressive!” Lily smiled coyly, pretending to be modest. “It’s all thanks to everyone’s support; otherwise, how could I have won the scholarship so easily?” “It’s all your own talent. Some people…” “You at least know your own worth, and understand you’re not deserving of it.” Jessica retorted sarcastically.

Chloe, who had been interrupted, was now as angry as a dog with its tail stepped on. “Jessica, don’t bully her!” Jessica turned, bewildered, “Where’s that barking coming from? Aren’t pets banned in school?” The flatmate shrugged innocently. “I don’t know, maybe it’s a wild dog that crawled in from some hole.” Fuming, Chloe marched toward us, but Lily swiftly held her back. Rising from her seat, she took a few steps toward me, looking apologetic. “Sorry, she was just happy for me, she didn’t mean to offend you.” I finally lifted my eyelids to look at her, curling my lips into a mocking smile. “I understand, after all, she hasn’t seen much of the world.” Lily’s expression darkened a bit, but she maintained her smile. “They’ve booked a restaurant tonight to celebrate; if you’re free, you should join us. The more, the merrier!” “Sorry.” I looked away, brushing past Lily. My tone was nonchalant. “I’m not interested in dining with those who thrive on the misfortunes of others.” Lily’s smile vanished in an instant, her hands clenching at her sides. I didn’t look back at her. The scholarship incident continued to spiral, with everyone chattering about it. Some felt Lily didn’t deserve the award, claiming it was obtained through dubious means. Others believed I was too arrogant, dreaming big without the capability to back it up. For the first few days, the outrage against Lily was dominant; after all, people were capable of reasoning. But by the third day, the tide turned, and many began to shift their criticism onto me, spewing insults—it was clear there was more to this situation. On Friday, my tutor summoned me again. He opened his mouth, and there was nothing good to hear. “From now on, let Lily handle the project; you’ll be there to assist.” I was incredulous. It was one thing to steal my scholarship; now they wanted to take my project outcomes as well? “That’s not happening.” The tutor froze, his brows furrowed in disbelief. “What did you just say?” “I said it’s not happening.” I met his gaze, “Is there a word in that sentence you don’t understand?” “Sophie Carter!” “My work will not be given to her. If she lacks the ability, she shouldn’t come looking for me!” “You think I’m asking for your opinion? I’m just informing you!” “Fine.” I scoffed, “Then I’m out. If she’s involved, I’m not.” “You’re threatening me? You dare to threaten me?!” The tutor’s face turned pale with rage, his eyes bulging. “Sophie Carter, I thought you learned your lesson from last time, but it seems not. Do you think your threats will matter? I’m just informing you, not asking for your opinion!” His face was turning red, and he sneered, “You think the world is fair? Let me tell you, when you step into society, you’ll see this kind of unspoken rule everywhere!” I laughed coldly. “You’ve been involved in quite a few, haven’t you?” The tutor’s posture stiffened, and he retorted, “What nonsense are you spouting? I’m only here to relay orders from above!” I smirked, looking at him with unabashed contempt, speaking slowly and clearly. “Those who do evil will inevitably suffer.”

The tutor’s face twisted under my gaze, his forehead bulging with veins as he trembled with anger. I turned my gaze away, brushing off nonexistent dust from my clothes and straightening up as I headed for the door. Lily was more pleased than ever, having taken my scholarship and now my project outcomes. She was completely swollen with pride. Rumours about me circulated more widely; everyone was waiting for me to fail. As for me, I was keeping my distance, enjoying life as usual. With no classes in the afternoon, I joined my flatmates at a nearby café to pass the time. I don’t enjoy bitter things, so I just ordered a small cake. We were chatting happily when the bell above the door jingled, and a group of boys walked in. I looked up and met James Thornton’s gaze. His deep, dark eyes locked onto mine. After a moment of connection, he smirked slightly and made his way toward me. He was one of the school’s stars, excelling either academically, like me, or coming from an impressive family background, like James. Even though he was from the adjacent art school, his reputation had spread widely. It was said that wherever he appeared, there was always quite a stir; luckily, the café was relatively quiet at this hour. “Sophie, the academic star.” He casually pulled out a chair and sat across from me. My flatmates immediately lowered their heads, pretending to look at their phones while secretly straining to listen. “I heard someone’s stolen your scholarship.” James lifted his chin slightly, his tone laid-back. “Want me to have someone teach them a lesson?” Before I could respond, I felt a piercing gaze boring into me. I looked up to find Lily and Chloe standing at the entrance, glaring at me. “Perfect timing,” James quipped, raising an eyebrow. “James, what a coincidence! You’re here too!” Lily exclaimed as she walked in. James ignored her entirely, not even glancing in her direction, his dark eyes fixed solely on me. Seeing that I wasn’t responding, he clicked his tongue. “Boring.” With that, James stood up, preparing to leave. Lily hurriedly called out, “James, tonight…” “Not interested; I don’t want to go,” he cut her off, amusement evident in his eyes. Lily turned pale, tears welling in her eyes. James subtly furrowed his brow before straightening up, waving a hand dismissively as he said, “I’m off.” “James, wait for us! We haven’t even gotten our coffee yet…” one of the boys protested. James smacked the back of his head playfully. “You’re such a nuisance.” The boy retorted, “You were the one who insisted on coming to the café…” “Shut up, grab your coffee, and let’s go.” I caught a glimpse of James’s ears turning red, but before I could see more, Lily stepped in front of me, blocking my view. “Sophie Carter.” With her arms crossed, Lily had a haughty demeanor. “You should know your place; some people aren’t within your reach. Consider this a warning: don’t dream unrealistic dreams.”

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The day after my dad died, My mom, who had been missing for over twenty years, showed up with her children from another man, fighting for my dad’s estate. “They’re my kids too. Whatever you have, they should have it too.” Dressed in mourning, my eyes swollen from crying, I couldn’t help but let out a laugh. Oh, Mom, you don’t know, do you? After twenty years of being abandoned by you, I’ve become quite the vengeful little monster. “He’s dead! What’s the use of crying? Get up and start counting how much money that deadbeat left behind!” I was sprawled out in the funeral parlor, crying so hard that I felt weak and lightheaded, nearly passing out. I had no father now, and I was all alone in this world. But my mom—Margaret Gates—who’d disappeared for more than twenty years, was yanking on my mourning clothes, trying to pull me off the floor. “You’ve got no manners! It’s your first time meeting your brother and sister, and you’re not even saying hello? Just crying and crying—how pathetic!” I kept my head down, swallowing the fury rising in my chest. My dad worked himself to the bone his entire life, and I wasn’t going to let him worry about me from his coffin. When I didn’t respond, Margaret got even angrier. She grabbed a fistful of my hair and dragged me up off the ground, shoving me in front of a man and a woman. “This is Mark Cooper and Lisa Cooper, your brother and sister.” “Your dad’s gone now, and we need a man around the house. I brought Mark here so he could get familiar with the place. From now on, this will be his home.” “And stop pretending to cry your eyes out. Let’s get to counting your dad’s estate. By law, I get half, and the other half will be split between the four of us.” “I see this house was just remodeled not too long ago. I’ll decide—this house goes to Mark. Don’t worry, he won’t throw you out. He’ll leave you a room so you can stay here when you visit during the holidays.” She rambled on, getting more pleased with herself the longer she talked. I looked up at the man and woman standing in front of me, their eyes shifting around, greedily eyeing the house. The way they stared at my family’s mansion made me sick. “Let go,” I said, speaking to Margaret for the first time in over twenty years. She froze for a second, then slapped me on the back. “Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?” I looked up at her and slowly smiled. Satisfied, she raised her chin arrogantly. “That’s more like it. You’ve always needed a good beating to behave.” Before she could finish, I pulled out my trusty pocket knife and slashed her hand. “AHHHHH!!!” Margaret shrieked, letting go of my hair as blood dripped from her hand, leaving dark stains on the floor of our courtyard. Dad, look. No one can bully me anymore.

The night I was supposed to keep vigil for my dad turned into a scene at the police station. I leaned back in my chair, watching Margaret like she was the biggest fool on Earth. Maybe seeing the police officers standing tall in their uniforms made her feel like she had backup. Her face, which had been pale the whole way here, suddenly regained its color. She shoved her poorly bandaged hand toward the officers, wailing at the top of her lungs, “What did I do to deserve this? My own daughter pulled a knife on me!” The officer knocked on the table, frowning as he asked me, “What happened here?” I hadn’t even opened my mouth when Mark Cooper rolled up his sleeves and shouted, “Pay up! There’s no way we’re letting this go without compensation!” Margaret’s injury was minor, so as long as she agreed to drop the charges, the whole thing could be settled. I didn’t want to waste my time with them—I just wanted to get back to my dad’s vigil. So when Margaret, Mark, and Lisa finally whispered among themselves and asked for $2,000 in compensation, I didn’t hesitate to agree. Right in front of the officers, I took out my phone and transferred the money. Once the payment was confirmed, Margaret gleefully signed the waiver. As I watched her grinning ear to ear, I suddenly asked, “Don’t you feel any sadness at all?” She looked up, confused. “Sad about what?” I didn’t bother saying another word, just turned and walked out. As I passed by them, I overheard their whispered conversation. “Mom, she’s using the newest iPhone. It’s over a thousand bucks! You just got that money—buy me one.” “Mom, $2,000! She didn’t even blink when she agreed. Who knows how much her old man left her? We better come up with a plan.” I was halfway out the door when I heard Margaret ask the officer loudly, “Do you handle inheritance disputes too?”

The next day, after we buried my dad according to custom, I thanked all the relatives and neighbors from Maplewood Village who came to help. Once everyone had left, I stood alone in the now-empty mansion, the grief hitting me so hard I almost wished I’d gone with him. When I was just two or three years old, Margaret left my dad and me, running off with a butcher from out of town because she thought my dad was too poor. My dad became both mother and father to me, struggling to raise me on his own. Once I started elementary school and didn’t need to be by his side all the time, he finally had the time to start a small business. I didn’t know how big his business had grown, but I did know that life at home kept getting better. We built this mansion, and my dad loved buying me all kinds of luxury goods. I became the kid everyone at school envied—the rich girl who had it all. But no one knew there was a piece of me that was missing. That piece should’ve been my mother. During all the moments I needed her, she was never there. Over the years, I’d grown used to being the kid without a mom. I slowly packed up my dad’s belongings, crying as I went. I’d cry until I was exhausted, then fall asleep, wake up, and continue packing. Days blurred together until, eventually, I finished sorting through everything my dad left behind. I was shocked at just how wealthy my dad had been. During that time, I developed a habit. I’d sit in the courtyard, staring at the security camera on the wall, lost in thought. One evening, as the sky turned a beautiful shade of dusk, I sat in the courtyard quietly sipping the osmanthus wine my dad had made. The weather was perfect, the sunset gorgeous, and I hadn’t locked the front door. Margaret strolled in with Mark and Lisa, looking down at me from her position at the entrance. “It’s been days. You’ve gone through all the stuff your old man left behind, right?” “I brought Mark and Lisa. We need to figure out how to divide your dad’s estate.”

I smiled and motioned for them to sit down. Then, I went inside to grab paper and pens. “What are your ideas? Write them down, and let’s discuss.” Margaret seemed really pleased with how cooperative I was. She nodded. “I thought I’d have to beat some sense into you before you’d hand over the money.” “How much did your dad leave behind? Let’s see the inventory.” I handed her the list I’d prepared. As they looked it over, their eyes sparkled with greed. Margaret straightened up, taking on the role of the decision-maker. “Alright, I’ll decide how the inheritance gets split.” She’d clearly been thinking about how to divide my dad’s estate for a long time. Without hesitation, she scribbled her ideas down, her sloppy handwriting not affecting her excitement in the least. It didn’t take her long to finish. She handed me the paper with a flourish. “Lily, we’ll go with this plan. Tomorrow, we’ll get all the paperwork sorted, transfer the funds, and change the ownership of the house.” I looked at her deeply. “My name is Lily Gates, not ‘Lily.’” She gave an awkward smile. “Well, we always called you Lily when you were little.” I smiled back. “Funny how that works. When I was little, I had a mom too.” Lisa, growing impatient, snatched the paper from my hands, scanning it quickly. Her face fell. She slammed the paper down on the table. “Mom, you always talk about fairness. Why does Mark get the mansion and a few million dollars, and I only get $100,000 in cash?” I nodded enthusiastically, chiming in, “Exactly! I’m getting $200,000, but you’re her little princess. How is $100,000 fair for you?” Lisa wasn’t having it anymore. She threw herself on the ground, kicking and screaming. Mark, worried Margaret might take some of his share and give it to Lisa, grabbed her by the hair and slapped her hard across the face. “Shut up! Mom’s money, mom’s rules!” Lisa, shocked that Mark would hit her, froze for a moment before screaming and launching herself at him. “How dare you hit me? You want to die?” The two of them were rolling around, fighting like cats and dogs, while Margaret, frantic, jumped in to break them up. I quietly scooted my chair back, pulled out a bag of sunflower seeds, and settled in to enjoy the show. It was quite the spectacle in my courtyard, their howls echoing in the night. Margaret couldn’t pull them apart and even took a few accidental punches herself. Furious, she slapped both of them hard across the face. Her hand, still bandaged from my earlier cut, started bleeding again. Mark and Lisa weren’t much better off—one had a swollen eye, and the other had a split lip. Grinning, I said, “What’s going on here? You’re family! Why fight over a little money?” Margaret shot them both a dirty look and forced a smile at me. “Lily, you and Lisa are both my daughters. I can’t show too much favoritism. How about we take $50,000 from your share and give it to Lisa? Then you’ll each get $150,000. Fair enough?” I turned to Lisa. “Does that work for you?” Lisa glared at Mark, silent. Still smiling, I said, “Well, if everyone agrees, go ahead and sign.” I watched as all three of them signed the agreement, satisfied as I folded the paper and slipped it into my pocket. “Alright then, see you here tomorrow at ten. We’ll go finish up the paperwork.”

The next day, when Margaret, Mark, and Lisa showed up at my house, they were in for a surprise. The courtyard was packed full of people. Neighbors, relatives, everyone from Maplewood Village was there, chatting and munching on sunflower seeds, laughing and joking. When they spotted the three of them, Uncle Joe, the most respected elder in the village, put down his seeds and waved them over. Even though she’d run off over twenty years ago, Margaret had grown up in this village, and she knew all the elders. Uncle Joe was known for being fair and just, and no one in the village dared cross him. With everyone watching, Margaret reluctantly shuffled over to greet him. Though he was old, Uncle Joe was still sharp. Raising his voice, he asked, “Margaret, what are you doing here?” As soon as he spoke, the crowd went silent, all eyes on her. Seeing no point in lying, Margaret finally gave up and said, “I talked with Lily—uh, I mean, Lily—yesterday, and we’re here to finalize the inheritance today.” Uncle Joe shook his head, raising his voice even more. “These old ears aren’t so good anymore. What kind of inheritance?” Margaret bowed her head, biting her lip, not answering. Uncle Joe slammed his cane on the ground. “I asked you a question! What inheritance?” The force of his words made Margaret stumble back two steps. Mark stepped forward, unable to hold back anymore. He pointed at Uncle Joe, his voice filled with venom. “Old man, mind your business. My mom’s here to transfer this mansion into my name and to make sure the rest of that deadbeat’s money goes to me!” The crowd buzzed with shock and outrage. Margaret turned beet red as neighbors started shouting insults at her. “Margaret, you left John because he was poor! How do you have the nerve to come back now?” “Have some shame, woman! You’re an embarrassment!” Margaret swung her arm wildly, screaming back, “Shut up! I never divorced John! By law, I’m entitled to half of his estate—I’m the primary heir!”

Uncle Joe looked at me, puzzled. “Kid, what’s going on here?” I put on my most innocent expression. “I don’t know, Uncle Joe. Everyone’s watched me grow up here. Where did this so-called mom come from?” “Don’t give me that crap!” Margaret screamed, pointing at me angrily. She fished out a small, worn red booklet from her pocket and threw it onto the stone table. “Take a good look. This is my marriage certificate with that deadbeat. Stop going around telling people I ran off! I’m still legally his wife. Now that he’s dead, I have the right to inherit his estate.” “Well, isn’t that something!” I said as I leaned forward, picking up the little red book. After looking at it for a moment, I handed it over to Uncle Joe. “Uncle Joe, check it out. It’s a real marriage certificate.” Margaret lifted her head proudly, her face lighting up with a smug smile. “You can try to gang up on me all you want, but in the end, that deadbeat’s money? It’s all mine.” I couldn’t hold back my anger any longer. My face darkened as I said coldly, “Margaret, if I hear you call him a deadbeat one more time, you won’t get a single penny from me.” Margaret raised her hand, ready to slap me, but I stared back at her, hard. Uncle Joe’s cane thumped heavily on the ground, the sound reverberating through the courtyard. After a tense moment, Margaret spat on the ground in frustration. “You’ve seen the marriage certificate. No more questions, right? So, can we go ahead with the transfer now?” Uncle Joe and the other elders from Maplewood Village stood in stunned silence, not expecting this turn of events. No one said a word. Margaret’s smug grin grew wider as she turned to Mark and Lisa, flashing them a look of victory. I smiled too, lifting my finger to point at Mark and Lisa as I spoke lazily, “There’s still a problem. If you’re my dad’s legal wife and have inheritance rights, what about them?” Mark and Lisa’s faces paled, and they nervously glanced at Margaret. Margaret, still smiling, said, “Don’t try to scare me. I did my research. Non-marital and marital children have equal inheritance rights.” “They’re my kids. Whatever you get, they’re entitled to too.”

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On the train, an old lady stole my ghost-binding rope. I smirked coldly. That thing was meant to save her son’s life. “My hand is injured. Switch seats with me. You sleep on the upper bunk,” she commanded. Her tone irritated me, and I looked up at her with displeasure. An old woman with her right arm in a sling, yet her voice was full of vigor. She grabbed my luggage and started tossing it onto the upper bunk. “Hurry up!” I made myself even more comfortable. “Thank you for offering your bed for my luggage. I was just thinking this bed was too small.” The man on the lower bunk opposite us spoke up for the old lady: “Young lady, you look pretty, but how can you bully an elderly person?” “Oh my, these city girls don’t care about us old country folks at all,” the old lady’s attitude suddenly became more aggressive when she saw someone backing her up. “What’s wrong with being from the countryside? I’m from there too,” I retorted. I clutched my stomach and groaned, “Oh, I don’t mind being a bit cramped, but what about my baby?” “My mom said not to tell anyone before three months, but I have no choice now!” The man on the middle bunk, annoyed at having his sleep disturbed, grumbled, “She looks much healthier than the young lady. My ears are ringing from her shouting.” The old lady was left speechless. Even the man who initially supported her changed sides and tossed her bag onto the upper bunk. “How shameless can you be, trying to take a pregnant woman’s seat?” The old lady glared at me and reluctantly climbed to the upper bunk. But she wasn’t content to stay quiet up there. She started bragging to the man about how successful her son was. “My son is so capable! He bought a big house in the city!” “When he heard about my injured hand, he specifically told me that kind-hearted people would surely offer to switch seats with me when they saw it.” When I returned from the bathroom, I mouthed to her: “I’m-not-pregnant.” The old lady’s boasting got stuck in her throat, and she pointed at me, glaring for a long time. Her chest heaved as if she was furious, and she lost all interest in bragging about her son. She probably wouldn’t sleep well that night. I could finally get some good rest.

At dawn, we arrived at our destination. I went to the address provided by my client. The old lady happened to be standing at the door of the house I was heading to. Seeing me behind her, the old lady immediately straightened her back. She looked me up and down, unable to contain her excitement. Suddenly, she started laughing hysterically like a madwoman. “So you’re the girlfriend my son’s been dating?” “It’s just a birthday, and you want to eat a $38 meal? Do you think my son is made of money?” “Eating his food, using his things, and still wanting him to help with housework.” “You’ve got some nerve.” “I came here specifically to teach you a lesson.” “Since you don’t know how to respect your elders, as long as I’m here, don’t even think about entering this door today.” She gripped the doorframe with both hands, her eyes glaring at me as if she would fight me to the death if I dared to step inside. After the old lady’s outburst, I had a pretty good idea of what was going on. My client had mentioned on SnapChat that he had a girlfriend, but she had been scared off long ago. The old lady had mistaken me for someone else. Looking at the house filled with resentment, I covered my face and pretended to sob quietly: “You don’t have to be so cruel. I’ll leave if that’s what you want.” The old lady’s face contorted as if she was constipated. Perhaps because I gave in so easily, she hadn’t had the chance to say all the nasty things she wanted to, and it left her feeling frustrated. I didn’t give her the opportunity either. After dropping that line, I quickly went downstairs and left the troublesome place. There really was a ghost in that house, and an evil one at that. The pay would have to be higher. This job was going to be a loss. 4 When I was five years old, my mother abandoned me at a train station. Since then, I’ve been wandering alone. Everyone said I was a cursed child, and I didn’t want to bring misfortune to others. So I became a haunted house cleaner, working alone. The job of a haunted house cleaner involves sleeping in so-called haunted houses, easily earning $10,000 per job. Most haunted houses are either cases where the owners have guilty consciences or someone is playing tricks. The work is essentially a vacation. Of course, occasionally there are real evil spirits at work. Like this time. My client, trying to save money, bought a $200,000 house for $50,000, and then spent another $10,000 to hire me to clean the haunted house. Just as I was pondering this, the phone rang. It was Jack – the old lady’s son. “Master, where are you?” His weak voice came through as soon as the call connected. I slurped some noodles and replied nonchalantly, “Your dear mother chased me away. She said as long as she’s there, she’d never let me in.” “Looks like I won’t be taking this job after all.” “I don’t know if you’ll live long enough to spend the money.” There was some quiet muttering on the other end of the line. Apparently, the old lady first denied it, then realized her son’s girlfriend had left long ago, and finally remembered what had happened. Suddenly, an intense argument broke out. I gave them my address, held the phone away, hung up, and calmly continued eating my noodles. 5 With the non-refundable deposit, I went to a spa and found a top-tier masseur. I couldn’t tell if the massage was good or not, but the guy was incredibly handsome with an honest face. I lightly brushed his arm with my foot, and he blushed shyly. It was quite therapeutic. While enjoying the massage, I opened the dark web and started browsing. Sure enough, Jack had posted another request for help. The reward was $15,000, and it was quickly accepted. I recognized the ID of the person who took the job. That person’s skills were mediocre, relying mostly on luck when cleaning haunted houses. The last time they encountered a real ghost, they came begging to me for help, scared out of their wits. In the end, they had to pay me a few thousand to exorcise the ghost. Knowing it was them, I closed my phone with satisfaction. In less than three days, the old lady would be begging at my doorstep. I needed to think carefully about how much to charge this time. Would it be enough to keep this young hunk as my sugar baby? 6 The old lady was even weaker than I had anticipated. Early the next morning, she showed up at my door. She looked much less spirited, her speech trembling. Gone was the arrogant demeanor from the train. She immediately knelt at my feet: “Master, I was blind to your greatness yesterday. Please forgive my ignorance and save my son!” I felt nothing inside. This old lady could certainly bend when she needed to. “Is your son now unable to leave that room? And is he awake for less time each day?” The old lady nodded repeatedly. “Does he feel excruciating pain every night at midnight, unable to move as if paralyzed?” Hope flashed in the old lady’s eyes as she clutched my knees. “Master, everything you say is correct.” It wasn’t that I had some supernatural foresight. The story of the exorcist getting scared witless the night before had spread throughout our circle. To save face, he had started exaggerating how vicious the ghost was. He claimed that surviving was a testament to his great skills, and that anyone else would have never made it out alive. Others didn’t know if it was true, but no one dared to go there now. After all, risking your life for $10,000 wasn’t worth it. 7 “Soon, he won’t suffer anymore.” Just as the old lady was getting excited, I poured cold water on her hopes: “Because he’ll never wake up again.” The old lady looked more distressed hearing her son was in mortal danger than if she had seen a ghost herself. She crawled forward on her knees, grabbing my hand and refusing to let go. “Please, you must save my son!” I leaned back in my chair, crossed my legs, and remained unmoved. The old lady was about to kowtow to me, but I quickly dodged: “No, no, no, I can’t accept that.” “Didn’t you say yesterday that as long as you were there, you’d never let me enter your house? How dare I go now?” The old lady was ruthless. She started slapping herself hard: “It’s all my fault, it’s all my fault. As long as you’re willing to save my son, I’ll do anything.” “Oh, anything… How about an even $50,000… is that okay?” 8 Hearing the figure of $50,000, the old lady stopped slapping herself, and her gaze towards me changed. She held back, barely managing not to curse at me outright. “Isn’t $50,000 a bit much? Look…” “$100,000.” Perhaps my price increase was too sudden. The old lady gasped and quickly pressed down the finger I had raised: “$50,000, just $50,000.” I raised an eyebrow slightly. I had expected more back-and-forth. I didn’t think she would agree so easily. It seemed they were much wealthier than I had imagined. 9 For the money, I went back with the old lady. Jack was lying on the bed, unconscious. The entire room was filled with black, resentful energy. A female ghost was pressing down on Jack’s body. Seeing that I could see her, she tilted her head and smiled at me. It was more of a stare-off, as her eye sockets were empty. Blood slowly flowed from her eyes, corroding her pale face. She rotated her head 360 degrees, trying to scare me and make me back off. I knew the female ghost wasn’t inherently evil, as even the previous exorcist had managed to escape unharmed, and the old lady was still in good spirits. She smiled at me, and I smiled back. But what could have happened to make her look like this, with such great resentment? Seeing that I wasn’t afraid, she gripped Jack’s neck harder, as a warning to me. I smiled reassuringly at her and said in a voice only we could hear: “Go ahead and press down. Are you tired? Do you want me to help?” I could see the resentful energy around the female ghost recede slightly, and even without eyes, her face showed a hint of confusion. Sigh! Where is the trust between humans and ghosts? I was being completely sincere. 10 Due to my sudden intervention, the female spirit dared not act rashly. Jack temporarily escaped danger, and the painful expression on his face gradually faded away. He slowly regained consciousness. Margaret, seeing her son awake, instantly lit up with joy. “Is my son alright now?” “Expert, is… is that evil spirit still here?” she asked nervously. Jack slowly sat up. “Mom, what happened? I feel much better now.” Margaret rushed to Jack’s side. “Oh, my boy, you’re finally awake!” Margaret mistook what I had said to the spirit as some kind of incantation and started praising my abilities to Jack. “The expert just said a couple of words, and that spirit was instantly scared shitless,” she exclaimed. Jack nodded at me, looking a bit dazed. He seemed to be about seven or eight years older than me, and I could still faintly see traces of his childhood features. After hearing his mother’s words, Jack first smiled, then frowned and started scolding her, “I told you she was capable, but you wouldn’t listen. You made me suffer for nothing.” Margaret, having emptied her savings and now being scolded by her own son, was still overjoyed. “It’s all Mom’s fault. But it’s okay now, everything’s fine,” she said, beaming. As mother and son shared their intimate moment, I felt like an invisible person. I lowered my head, fiddling with my talisman, realizing how much she loved her son. Yet, I was abandoned by her since childhood. 11 My life before the age of five was worse than animals. No exaggeration, I was actually kept in a pigsty, often going hungry because I couldn’t compete with the pigs for food. The reason I was confined to the pigsty was that I could see ghosts from a young age. I’d help Mom wash dishes, but end up breaking them all because a ghost crawled out of the pot and scared me. I’d scrub my brother’s back, but end up shaking with fear because a ghost was perched on his shoulder, grinning at me. So in Mom’s eyes, I was nothing but a bringer of misfortune, only fit to stay in the pigsty, not even allowed to compete with pigs for food. 12 When I was five, Mom finally let me out of the pigsty. She bathed me herself and even bought me new clothes. Little me was overwhelmed with joy and surprise. In my innocence, I thought Mom still loved me after all. Mom took me out, bought me ice cream I had never tasted before. She looked at me and frowned, “I didn’t expect you to be worth anything. Who knows what these rich people are thinking.” I didn’t understand what she meant. I just lowered my head and savored the ice cream, though sadly it melted too quickly in the hot weather. Mom took me to the bus station. After a long wait, someone came. The person sighed, “Well, tough luck for you. That family’s wife suddenly found out she’s pregnant, so they don’t want her anymore.” Mom still wouldn’t give up. “Then tell them I don’t want money anymore, I’ll give her away for free.” The person looked at me with disdain. “They’re going to have their own child now. Why would they want your daughter?” After the person left, Mom couldn’t contain her anger and slapped me twice. “You useless thing, I just bought you new clothes, and now I can’t even return them.” After a while, I heard her sigh softly, “Well, it’s not your fault. Are you hungry? I’ll go buy you something to eat.” I nodded eagerly. But I sat on the chair waiting and waiting, for a long time, and Mom never came back. Until the staff were about to close, “Little girl, where are your parents?” I couldn’t help but burst into tears, “Mommy… Mommy doesn’t want me anymore.” In the end, I was sent to an orphanage. When I was sixteen, I was already the oldest child in the orphanage. Surprisingly, someone was willing to adopt me instead of those sweet younger kids. It was a couple who looked well-educated and polite at first glance. They treated me just like their own daughter. That blissful life lasted less than a year before they died in a car accident. Not only did their death seem somewhat mysterious, but they were also branded with the stigma of trafficking women. And at that time, I was almost eighteen, couldn’t go back to the orphanage, and had no money. Out of twenty-four hours a day, I could only sleep for three or four. I went to school during the day and did all kinds of part-time jobs in my spare time. By the time I came to my senses, it had been a long time since my adoptive parents’ incident. It was also from that time that I accepted the fact that I could see ghosts and slowly turned it into my profession. Since no one loved me, nothing was more important than money. 1

As usual, before taking on a job, I always investigated the client’s background. This investigation revealed some interesting things. It turned out that my client was none other than my dear older brother. I hadn’t planned on revenge or anything, but since I stumbled upon this, I had to take the job. Learning that my mother was also on her way, I deliberately gave up a first-class flight seat and decided to see what she looked like now on the train. Well… she was as annoying as ever. To me, she was just a stranger, an old woman. That was also the last chance I gave her. Not only did she fail to cherish it, but she also put her son’s life at stake. While they were celebrating, I timely told them the truth: “The ghost hasn’t left. She’s right beside you, ready to strike again at any moment.” The old lady’s expression turned vicious and malevolent upon hearing this. She looked around. With me backing her up, she wasn’t even afraid of ghosts anymore: “Master, you must help me drive this evil ghost away.” “It’s best if you make her disappear completely.” I nodded: “I will certainly make the evil one disappear.” 1

I laid out my magical items all over the floor, pretending to wave my wand in the air. The female ghost hid in the corner, watching me vigilantly and confusedly. I pretended to be attacked and fell backward. I collapsed on the ground, clutching my chest, acting weak… and winked at the female ghost. “Look how weak you are, why don’t you absorb more of his energy?” Seeing that I truly meant her no harm, the female ghost grew bolder. While the old lady watched in bewilderment, Jack suddenly cried out. He clutched his neck, as if being pinned down by someone, struggling desperately but unable to get up. Jack’s face turned the color of a pig’s liver: “Spare… spare me.” The old lady crawled to the bedside: “My son, my son, what’s wrong?” Jack was too preoccupied to respond, so the old lady turned to look at me. “Master, you must save my son!” “Master, I paid you $50,000.” I stood up and walked towards her, holding my waist and questioning her: “Did you steal my bag?” The old lady’s demeanor suddenly weakened, her eyes darting around as she stammered: “What bag? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “On the train, the thing I had in my pocket. Wasn’t it you who stole it?” My words hit the mark, and the old lady suddenly reacted like her tail had been stepped on, screeching: “Don’t accuse me! I wouldn’t even look at your things. I can afford to buy them myself.” Seeing her act like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water, I let out a light “Oh”: “I don’t know about that. It’s just that I can’t find that thing, and I don’t know if your son will live to see tomorrow’s sun.” The old lady was successfully frightened to tears by me, trembling as she said: “I thought you had something valuable, so I… it was just a rope, I threw it away at the train station.”

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Returning from studying abroad, I found an unexpected future sister-in-law at home. She proclaimed herself the future mistress of our family, threatening to teach me, her never-before-met sister-in-law a lesson. But no one told her that my brother was adopted. I am the sole heir to the Sanders family, and even my brother has to watch his step around me. When my brother picked me up from the airport and brought me home, my parents were eagerly waiting for me. Due to the pandemic, I hadn’t been home for a long time, and everyone was incredibly excited. As I was catching up with my family and expressing how much I had missed them, my brother pulled over a stranger and introduced her to me. With a hint of shyness, he said, “This is my girlfriend, Chloe, your future sister-in-law.” Then, turning to her with a slight nod, he added, “And this is my sister I’ve often told you about, Mollie Sanders. You can call her Mollie.” “Hello,” she greeted me with a polite smile, extending both hands. I was still caught up in the excitement of being home. After exchanging pleasantries with her, I turned back to continue chatting animatedly with my parents. That evening, as I cuddled up with my mom, she filled me in on the details. According to her, this Chloe was an intern my brother had met at the branch company he managed. She seemed pure and gentle, and my brother was head over heels for her. They hadn’t been together long before he brought her home, declaring his intention to marry her. I was as excited as if I’d just heard the juiciest gossip. “And then? Is my brother really going to get married?” “Your father and I would prefer someone from a similar background, of course. But if he insists, we can’t say much. If he truly loves her, we’ll let him be,” my mom replied, always the open-minded one. I wasn’t worried about my brother. But little did I know, when I met Chloe the next day, I realized I had severely underestimated her. Due to jet lag, I woke up in the afternoon. I went downstairs to find something to eat and sat at the dining table for breakfast when I heard a voice from behind, “Sister, you’re just waking up? Your brother has already been at the office for half a day.” What’s wrong with you? A question mark floated above my head. I turned around to see it was Chloe speaking. “Oh, were you talking to me?” I asked, somewhat incredulously. She rolled her eyes, her pupils nearly disappearing into her skull, and slowly walked down the stairs with her arms crossed. Wow, she already had the air of the mistress of the house. She had seemed normal in front of my parents yesterday, but behind their backs, she couldn’t wait to start giving me attitude. “Who else would I be talking to? Is there a third person in this room right now?” Her tone was filled with undisguised hostility. Clearly, I hadn’t misunderstood her. After my initial shock, I found it amusing. “I thought you were talking to someone else. After all, we’re not that close, so don’t call me sister. My family doesn’t have any older sisters.” I shot back at her and turned back to continue eating. What kind of person is this? My brother must have been blinded by love to fall for her. She continued walking towards me, about to speak with an aggressive attitude when we heard the front door open. Chloe immediately switched to a different persona, her expression turning fragile and her tone a complete reversal from her previous snarky attitude. “Don’t be angry. If you don’t want me to call you that, I won’t in the future.” Wow, I can’t believe there are still such textbook examples of green tea bitches in the 21st century. Doesn’t she find herself too fake? At that moment, my mom and brother walked in together. Seeing Chloe’s pitiful look, they were confused and quickly came over to ask, “What’s wrong? What happened?” With my brother back, Chloe became even more dramatic. She even managed to squeeze out two tears that welled up in her eyes, looking truly pitiful. “It’s nothing. Mollie, I mean, she doesn’t want me to call her sister. I won’t call her that anymore. I thought it would show closeness, but I didn’t expect to upset her. I didn’t mean to, I just won’t call her that anymore.” I was stunned by her words. In my twenty-plus years, I’d never seen such a real drama queen. I guess I’ve finally seen one. My mom tried to mediate, “Oh, it’s just a small thing, no need to get upset.” My brother also chimed in, “Mollie might just be having some morning grumpiness. She probably hasn’t adjusted to the time difference yet. Don’t take it to heart.” He gave me a look and then comforted the seemingly pitiful Chloe back to their room. I didn’t need to continue eating; I was already full from anger. My mom looked at me and asked what happened. I said it was nothing. I want to see what other tricks this person can pull.

Having just returned to the country, I was busy meeting up with old friends every day. During this time, I originally didn’t have time to bother with Chloe, but unexpectedly, one of my friends brought her up. “How are you getting along with your future sister-in-law? She’s quite something, isn’t she?” The speaker was my childhood friend, Brian White. His expression and demeanor clearly said, ‘I know everything, but I’m not telling. I’m waiting for you to ask.’ This guy has been like this since we were kids. I gave him a sidelong glance. His smile became even more sly. “This little girl was just an intern in your family’s company. She hadn’t been there long before she had your fool of a brother completely smitten.” I scoffed, “Is that all? Who doesn’t know that? Tell me something I don’t know.” Brian wasn’t offended and continued, “Well, did you know that this person had only one goal from the moment she entered the company? It was to seduce your brother. Now she’s going around calling herself the Sanders family’s daughter-in-law, using this identity to show off everywhere.” I finally turned to look at him. Brian proudly took out his phone and showed me several screenshots of conversations between Chloe and her girlfriends. [William Sanders is already in my pocket. What kind of rich young master? He’s putty in my hands.] [William took me home to meet his parents. The Sanders’ house is so big, and they even have a housekeeper. I must hold onto this tightly.] [William’s sister is coming home soon. In families like this, the sister-in-law is always a potential threat. When she gets home, I need to give her a good lesson to put her in her place.] How foolish, to dare to boast about such things. She really can’t keep her mouth shut. I inwardly criticized, then turned back to Brian, “And what’s your relationship with the person in these screenshots?” Brian grinned, and I looked at him with disdain. He was quite frank about it. “What’s the big deal? It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement. Who’s like your brother?”

However, I couldn’t help but keep an eye on Chloe. From my observations, this person’s ambition was not small. On the surface, she appeared gentle, kind, and innocent, not fighting or grabbing for anything, seemingly not after anything. But in reality, she didn’t deprive herself of anything. She had my brother convert her to a full-time employee, promote her, and give her a cushy position in the department. She went from occasionally staying over to practically moving into our house. She was good at playing the victim and knew how to make people like her. In this house, except for me and the housekeeper, she greeted everyone with a smile. Pleasing my parents was to win over her future in-laws, and coddling my brother was to get married quickly and become the real Mrs. Sanders. Only towards me, her sister-in-law, she didn’t even bother to pretend. When she saw Mrs. Wilson bringing me a late-night snack, she made a fuss about wanting some too. But it was already very late, and the soup had been simmering for hours. It was too late to make it now, and Mrs. Wilson was about to go to bed. When she heard Mrs. Wilson was unwilling, she put her hands on her hips and put on her young mistress airs again. “What? I want to have some soup and you can’t make it for me? Are you the Sanders family’s housekeeper or some pampered lady? Can’t I even give you an order now?” Mrs. Wilson had no choice but to go make it for her. She was so domineering, yet in front of my parents, she always yielded to me. I couldn’t be bothered to play such a poor act with her, never giving her a good face. This contrast made me look like the unreasonable one. I once tentatively asked my brother if he really wanted to marry Chloe. Did he really know this person? My brother just treated it as me throwing a childish tantrum, saying he would marry her in the future and hoped I would get along well with her. My parents were also becoming increasingly fond of Chloe. Chloe would accompany my mom shopping, buying bags. No matter what my mom liked, she would praise my mom’s taste, flattering her to no end. Of course, she would often receive gifts from her future mother-in-law. Exchanging emotional value for material value, both of them were very satisfied. My brother was naturally happy to see their good relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. I was the only one in this family who didn’t like her. This contrast became increasingly obvious, and I started to look like the real villain. Because of this, Chloe became more confident in facing me, treating me even more excessively in places where my parents couldn’t see. “Sister’s room is really big. When I marry your brother, can we move to this room? After all, you’ll be married off by then. I think the lighting and space here are the best. It would be a shame if it were left vacant.” It sounded like she was asking, but her tone was more like she was informing me. So she had her eye on my room from the beginning. I glanced at my brother standing nearby, and he didn’t say a word. I laughed in anger, “Is that so? You might not even marry into this family, and you’re already thinking about taking my room? And since you’ve hooked my brother, isn’t he going to buy you your own marital home? Why do you have to stay in my family’s house?” “Mollie! Don’t talk nonsense.” My mom had heard what I said and came over. “Chloe, don’t take her seriously.” My mom even turned to comfort Chloe, then said to me, “Is that how you should talk? Quickly apologize to your brother and Chloe.” I wouldn’t. Although I realized I shouldn’t have said that, I refused to apologize in front of Chloe. Seeing my mom also taking her side, Chloe’s look towards me became even more arrogant. “It’s okay, Auntie. Mollie is just throwing a tantrum. We won’t move out. William and I want to stay with you. I want to take care of you in your old age.” After challenging me with her eyes, she easily spouted flattering words to my mom. My brother also played the peacemaker, “Don’t blame Mollie. It was Chloe joking about switching rooms with her. Chloe took it seriously.” He turned to me as if coaxing a child who doesn’t understand, “Your sister-in-law was just teasing you. Don’t be angry, okay?” My mom also repeatedly praised her for being understanding and scolded me for being petty, saying it was just a joke and reprimanding me for being intolerant.

Seeing that they were really starting to prepare for the wedding, I began to panic. I couldn’t let her really marry into my family. We couldn’t possibly live with this drama queen, could we? Taking advantage of a day when Chloe wasn’t at our house, I called a family meeting with my parents and brother. “I don’t agree with Chloe marrying into our family.” As soon as I said this, my parents and brother looked at me. My mom said, “Mollie, don’t make trouble.” My brother seemed unsurprised, “As your sister-in-law predicted, you really don’t agree.” Well done, she even predicted this. My brother seemed somewhat exasperated, “Why are you so dissatisfied with Chloe? You seem to dislike her in every way. When she told me, I didn’t believe it. I didn’t expect you to still try to make things difficult for her at this time.” As he spoke, my brother had a look of feeling wronged on her behalf, “Mollie, can’t you just give her a chance for my sake? If you really don’t like her, after we get married, I’ll move out. Is that okay? We won’t live together.” It seems Chloe had already given my brother a preemptive warning. I knew that whatever I said next, he would think it was just an excuse because I didn’t like Chloe. She really was deeply scheming. I knew it was useless to say anything more, so I directly took out those chat records between Chloe and her girlfriends.

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My adopted daughter knelt before me, refusing to get up after causing a hit-and-run accident. “Mom, I just got accepted into MIT. I have a bright future ahead of me. If I go to prison, my life will be over. Please, I’m begging you, save me…” I agreed. During my two years in prison, neither father nor daughter visited me once. After my release, I discovered it had all been a scheme by my husband and daughter. They had already transferred all my assets to themselves. The daughter who had once cried and begged me to take the blame now cursed me as a criminal, an ugly old fool, and kicked me in the chest. I died from cardiac arrest. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day we received the MIT offer. “Mom, Dad, I got accepted into MIT!” Keira Thompson exclaimed excitedly. “That’s my girl! MIT is one of the top universities in the country. Well done, sweetheart,” Jack Thompson beamed. “Honey, didn’t you just get a $500,000 year-end bonus last month? Let’s use all of it to buy our daughter a BMW. She deserves it.” This conversation felt eerily familiar. I suddenly realized I had been given a second chance at life. “Dad, I’m still young. Buying a car would be too flashy. Besides, Mom worked hard for that money. I can’t bear to spend it,” Keira said sweetly. In my previous life, I always thought she was a considerate, filial, and kind girl. It wasn’t until I went to prison that I discovered how evil she truly was. “But sweetie, I promised you a BMW if you got into MIT, remember?” Jack said, glancing at me expectantly. He was a stay-at-home husband, and all our household expenses came from my income. In my previous life, I felt guilty for not giving him a child. How foolish I was. “Why are you looking at me? You made that promise, not me,” I said coldly. Father and daughter exchanged shocked glances, their eyes wide with surprise. In my previous life, they always acted in concert – one playing the innocent flower, the other the doting father – constantly squeezing money out of me. And in my previous life, I always thought my adopted daughter was considerate and my husband was open-minded, treating her like his own flesh and blood. Watching them act now made me feel sick to my stomach. “Have you lost your mind? Our daughter got into MIT, and you won’t even buy her a car? What kind of mother are you? Or do you not see Keira as your real daughter?” Jack shouted at me. “Dad, don’t say that. $500,000 isn’t a small amount, and Mom’s company needs cash flow. It’s okay if we don’t buy the car,” Keira said, still playing the “understanding” card. “Fine, how about a $300,000 car then? Surely that’s not too much to ask?” Jack yelled at me. “Have you lost touch with reality? Since when is a $300,000 car considered cheap? If you’re so capable, why don’t you buy it for Keira yourself?” I scoffed. Jack was dumbfounded that I would say such a thing. Keira also wore an expression of disbelief. In my previous life, this tactic worked on me every time. I always fell for it, thinking they were good people. “Mom, Dad, I don’t want a car anymore. Please stop fighting. It’s all my fault,” Keira said pitifully, tears welling up in her eyes on cue. In my previous life, I would have hugged her and fulfilled all her demands. But this time, I knew she was a vicious demon. Watching her cry made my blood boil. SLAP! I struck her hard across the face. Father and daughter stood frozen in shock. Keira stared at me, terrified and confused. “Oh, there was a mosquito on your face. I was too hasty and hit too hard,” I said, feigning concern as I reached out to caress her reddening cheek.

The next day at the office, I immediately changed all my bank card PINs, mobile payment passwords, and began planning to transfer my assets. This time, I couldn’t let Jack get his hands on my money. Later, I requested Keira’s GPA from the school. I was shocked – with such low scores, there was no way she could have been accepted to MIT. In my previous life, Keira had shown me her GPA and offer letter several times. I believed her completely then, but now I realized both must have been forged. That afternoon, I went to a private detective agency and asked them to thoroughly investigate Jack and Keira. I suspected they might actually be father and daughter. Twelve years ago, Jack took me to an orphanage. Among dozens of children, he chose Keira. When Keira first met Jack, she displayed a natural affinity for him. At the time, I thought they just clicked, that it was fate. I liked her too. But now, thinking about how they could team up against me, I realized their relationship could only be that of father and daughter. If that was true, it was truly chilling to think about. They had been playing this long game for twelve years, slowly emptying my bank accounts. A week later, I received a credit card alert at the office. My supplementary card had been used to spend $300,000. I had forgotten to cancel that card. I had given Jack a supplementary card for groceries and household expenses. I didn’t need to guess to know that $300,000 was for buying a car. I quickly called the bank to cancel the supplementary card.

That evening, as I approached our building, I saw a new BMW X2 without license plates parked outside. As soon as I entered the house, Keira sweetly brought me my slippers. “Welcome home, Mom. You must be tired from work.” Seeing her fake smile, I wanted to slap her again, but I couldn’t reveal my hand before the investigation was complete. “Hmm, your dad bought you a car?” I asked casually. “Mom, I kept refusing, but Dad wouldn’t listen. I couldn’t do anything about it,” she said, feigning innocence and helplessness. “I’ve cancelled your supplementary card. From now on, I’ll give you $10,000 a month for household expenses. If you need to buy anything big, let me know and I’ll handle it.” “What do you mean? Shouldn’t we reward our daughter for getting into MIT?” Jack angrily demanded. I almost exposed them. With a 1.2 GPA, that trash wouldn’t get into MIT in her next life. Fortunately, I held my tongue. “I’m thinking of our daughter’s best interests. She’s still young and just got her driver’s license. What if she gets into an accident and meets her maker?” I said seriously, cursing her. Jack jumped up, slamming the table. “How dare you curse my daughter?” At that moment, I was certain Keira was Jack’s biological daughter. “I’m just worried about her safety. I care about her,” I said. “Hmph, you’re just stingy,” Jack shouted. “Mom, are you upset that Dad spent your money to buy me a car?” Keira asked, tears in her eyes. I stroked her head and said gently, “How could Mom ever be reluctant to spend money on you? I’m just worried about your driving skills. If something happened to you, how could Mom go on living?” You want to act? I can act too! “Mom, I got into MIT! One of the top universities in the country. If it were someone else’s mother, they’d throw a celebration dinner and buy expensive gifts. But you haven’t done anything. Don’t you love me anymore?” she said, tears flowing. Her acting was truly impressive! I continued stroking her head and said, “The government is promoting frugality now. Throwing a dinner party would be too wasteful. Besides, we should be low-key. Being too showy will make people jealous. As for gifts, isn’t that BMW a gift?” “Mom, you don’t love me anymore. You know what? I didn’t want the car to show off or for my own convenience. I had a dream. Mom, you’ve sacrificed so much for me over the years. I wanted to drive you on a road trip across the country.” “I’m touched that you have such intentions, but don’t you think something’s odd?” I asked. “What’s odd?” she asked, confused. “You should earn money yourself to buy a car, then take me on a road trip. It’s like saying you’ll treat me to dinner, but I end up paying. Isn’t that strange?” I said seriously. She was stunned, wanting to argue but unable to. “Chloe Johnson, are you even a mother? How can you crush our daughter’s good intentions like that?” Jack said, winking at Keira. “Mom, you’re too much. You don’t love me anymore…” she cried as she ran out. “Keira…” Jack chased after her. I suddenly remembered the notice at the entrance of our complex: Last night, the security cameras were damaged. The property management has contacted repair technicians. Residents, please secure your belongings and lock your doors and windows. Were they setting a trap for me? I was alone now, and with the cameras down, there would be no witnesses if they framed me. Realizing this, I immediately called my assistant, Chen. She lived only a mile from my house. Then I called five other employees, saying there was an urgent meeting at my home. I told them to come as quickly as possible and that I would reimburse their travel expenses. At 9 PM, I heard the front door open. I walked out of the study. “Have you been home the whole time?” Jack asked. “Yes.” “I don’t believe you. Didn’t you go look for Keira?” “She’s not a child anymore. She can take care of herself.” “Are you even Keira’s mother? How can you say such heartless things?” “We can’t protect her forever. She has to walk her own path in life,” I said calmly. After arguing with him for about fifteen minutes, Keira returned, panic-stricken. As soon as she entered, she knelt before me: “Mom, I hit someone and ran away. Can you take the blame for me? Please save me. I don’t want to go to jail. I just got my acceptance letter from MIT. My life is just beginning…” Hearing these familiar words, my anger flared. I wanted to strangle her right there. In my previous life, I was so foolish to take the blame for her. “Keira, don’t be afraid,” I said, hugging her and pretending to comfort her. “Mom, will you help me?” she asked pitifully. “Of course I’ll help you. You’re my precious daughter.” “Mom, I knew you wouldn’t abandon me. You still love me. I swear, when you get out of prison, I’ll repay you double.” “What do you mean, ‘get out of prison’?” I pushed her away, feigning surprise. “Mom, didn’t you say you’d help me? Aren’t you going to take the blame for me?” she asked, confused. “When I said I’d help you, I meant I’d hire a good lawyer for you to seek leniency,” I said. Keira was dumbfounded. “Chloe, if you hadn’t upset our daughter, she wouldn’t have run out, and this wouldn’t have happened. You should take responsibility and take the blame for her,” Jack argued forcefully. “Why don’t you take the blame for her? Keira, listen to Mom. Your dad is just a stay-at-home dad, a few years in prison won’t matter much. But Mom is different. I run a company, I earn the money. If I go to prison, who will pay for your college?” I said. Jack was speechless, his face turning red with anger. “Mom, Dad can’t take the blame for me. After I hit that woman, I got out to check on her. She suddenly grabbed my ankle. I screamed, and the woman didn’t see me, but she must have heard my voice,” Keira said. I sighed and put my hands on Keira’s shoulders. “Keira, don’t try to run away from your problems. You need to be brave and take responsibility. Turn yourself in. You’re young, a few years in prison won’t matter much. Besides, you’ll still have Mom. When you get out, you can come work at my company.” Keira’s mouth formed an O shape, unable to believe that her once doting adoptive mother had changed so much.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294633”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn #校园School #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic